Last Chance Before the Dawn
by ladyrose837
Summary: On the eve of her 18th birthday, Sarah realizes how much she misses the Underground, so she wishes to go back. But she has no idea what she is asking for... ***My first fan fiction! Comments and criticisms are most welcome!***
1. Chapter 1: Night Wish

"I must go back," she whispered to the moon, as it poured lengths of soft blue light onto her bedroom floor. The grandfather clock was ticking out in the hallway. Her 3-year-old brother was asleep in the other room and her parents had gone out on a date a couple of hours ago. But despite the normalcy of her situation, Sarah could not sleep. Her heart was aching for just one more taste of childhood before she had to grow up- and tonight was the last chance she had. Tomorrow was Sarah's 18th birthday, a thing she had been dreading ever since she realized it would mean leaving most of her fanciful imaginings- and her constant dreams of the Labyrinth- behind.

Sarah had gone throughout high school as what she had been before- a beautiful loner whom everyone outwardly ignored but secretly admired. Before her adventures in the Labyrinth, life had been restrictive and positively dull. But after her return, Sarah was able to see the magic in everything- life truly seemed like something worth exploring, every day. This new outlook had given Sarah so much hope and freedom that she no longer relied solely upon her imagination to make her happy.

But tonight, the stillness of the night and the glittering, starry sky reminded her of that place she still loved and longed for, deep down in her heart. And if she was ever to go back, tonight would have to be the night.

Sarah gently lifted her covers and sat up in bed. Her body became chilled in an instant, and she shivered. Her eyes sleepily wandered about the room until they landed on the mirror attached to her desk. It glistened as she stood up and approached it, gently touching the mirror with the tips of her fingers. It had been a long time since Sarah had called on Hoggle or Ludo, or any of her other friends from the mysterious land- she had somehow forgotten them in her slow transition to adulthood. But she missed them all, now more than ever.

Something caught her eye, next to the mirror- it was the small figure of the Goblin King, Jareth, perched in a somewhat forlorn position on the desk. Sarah's body tingled slightly at the thought of the real Jareth- of his mystique, his dangerously seductive qualities which she had not fully recognized 3 years ago. And his voice- the voice that echoed in her mind constantly, the voice that beckoned to her at night and shook her to the very core every time she allowed herself to dream of him.

Sarah held the figure up to the moonlight and sighed. She would not even allow herself to picture his eyes, the eyes that had swallowed her whole with just one glance. What was this fixation she had on him? He was evil, heartless, and a monster. Jareth had taken her baby brother away, forced her to submit to his perilous Labyrinth and even attempted to wipe her memory clean. But when he and Sarah had been together, all the fear had melted away. In its place was something which she had never been able to pinpoint- a feeling unlike any other, and she was never sure whether to resist or to succumb. But Sarah knew that, if she was indeed successful in returning to the Labyrinth, she would have to face the feeling- and Jareth himself- once more.

The time had come- she could feel it in her bones. Sarah anxiously opened her window and stared up at the moon, inhaling the bitingly fresh air. A small tear slipped out of her glittering eyes as she closed them and whispered, "I wish to be taken to the Underground, right now."

* * *

Jareth, the King of the Goblins and the ruler of all the land cackled softly at his window. He held a small crystal ball in his hand and watched as Sarah made her tearful wish.

A small and feeble goblin was at his side, and asked, "What be the cause of your amusement, my Lord?"

Jareth smirked. "Little Sarah wishes to return to the Labyrinth."

"The girl who recently defeated you, sir?"

"Quiet, Amaleyus- hand me my cloak," Jareth barked. The old goblin obeyed, and Jareth put the cloak on in haste.

"I will go to her and see what she's really after." He transformed into an owl despite the goblin's protests and vanished into the night.


	2. Chapter 2: Black Gives Way to Blue

Chapter 2: Black Gives Way to Blue

"Damn, it didn't work!" Sarah shouted, and slammed her window shut. She looked over at her electronic clock and began to cry. It read as 10:22pm- she only had about an hour and a half left of the day before she would turn 18.

"How am I ever to get back to the Labyrinth? I don't want to wish Toby away again, but if I have to-"

"That will not be necessary, my dear."

Sarah screamed and turned around. Her window had flung open and on the sill stood Jareth, glittering and gloating like he had in her dreams.

"I heard you wished to come back to the Underground… my Labyrinth."

"I…you…are…"

"Of course I'm real, unless you don't wish me to be."

Sarah could only shake her head. Her eyes were fixated upon this person, this thing of her imagination- and she couldn't bear to look away.

Jareth smirked and took a few steps towards her. "Tell me the reason you wish to return. And the real reason, mind you. I can always tell when humans are lying."

Sarah inhaled a shaky breath. "I… miss it."

"You miss it? Dear girl, I put your baby brother into mortal danger and forced you to solve my Labyrinth, yet you miss it there?"

"He was never really in danger, and neither was I. For, as I said then and still believe now- you have no power over me."

Jareth smiled now, but differently than his typical smirk. His voice became low and soft, his incredible eyes penetrating hers with undeniable force. "Unless you allow me to."

Sarah's breath caught. She had not expected this. He somehow knew about her feelings for him… despite the fact that she herself could not name them. Was she so easy to read? Did her eyes reveal everything?

As Sarah asked herself these questions, Jareth moved in closer until their faces were only inches apart. He took a lock of her hair in his gloved hand and stroked it gently, then caressed her cheek.

"Please stop!" Sarah shouted, and he instantly moved back to the windowsill. She could not read his face, but she instantly felt guilty. "Please, don't be offended, I…"

Jareth continued to stare at her with unreadable eyes. She had to admit, he hid his emotions well.

"Please, your highness… just take me back." Sarah knelt before him and closed her eyes; the unbearable desperation she felt made her voice quiver.

"You have already returned, precious girl." Sarah opened her eyes again. The whole kingdom of the Underground was stretched before her, majestic and terrifying in its appearance, but served for Sarah to be a welcome sight.

"Thank you," she said softly, her eyes alight and brimming with tears. Jareth came up behind her and placed a gentle hand on her shoulder.

"You always had the power to come back, yet you chose against it. Why?"

"In my world, girls my age have to grow up more quickly than they wish to."

"I bet you are more mature than most, Little Sarah." She turned around and stared at him again. "You just don't wish to believe it."

"It goes against everything I was brought up to believe, your highness."

"And yet…" Jareth spread his arms to bring her attention back to where she was.

Sarah still could not believe her eyes, and the tears spilt over and tumbled down her pale cheeks.

"You are in distress. Please come to my castle and rest, Little Sarah."

She could only nod. Soon they were in the king's throne room, without a goblin in sight. Jareth approached his throne, and with a flourish of his cloak he sat down to observe her.

"Please, come a bit closer." He motioned for her to obey, and when she did, he smiled. "I have called you Little Sarah tonight, but I do not believe you are so little anymore."

"Yes, your majesty. It's been three human years since I was here last."

Jareth hid his mouth as he smiled wider. The girl was still as captivating as she had been before, yet more intimidating and… yes. She was, indeed, beautiful.

"Would you care for a drink? Something soothing, I believe."

"I…" A golden goblet appeared in the king's hand before she could protest.

"Please. I insist you drink it." Jareth stood up and approached her, almost cautiously. Sarah met his gaze and was surprised to see him show kindness in his unique eyes.

She took the cup and slowly drank the liquid. It seemed to be filled with herbs, and was warm and honey-smooth. She couldn't get enough. "What is this?" she asked once the cup had run dry.

"Felthardin. It is a drink to calm the nerves and comfort the despairing spirit."

And, indeed, Sarah felt much better than before. She smiled. "Thank you so much."

Jareth said nothing, but returned the smile and took the cup from her. "You must be tired. Please, come with me. I shall take you to the finest of the castle's rooms for you to stay in."

"But, I have so little time left…"

"Sarah, time does not exist in this place. You are free to stay as long as you wish, and when you are ready to leave, not a second will have passed in the human world when you return there."

Sarah could not believe it. The Goblin King had offered her such a tempting prospect. She could potentially stay there until she died.

Jareth led her down a magnificent hallway, up a few flights of stairs and into a dark corridor. Sarah shrank away and stopped walking. Jareth went a few feet further and turned around to face her; only his glowing eyes could be seen.

"Does this frighten you, my dear?"

She shook her head and stepped into the darkness with her arms outstretched. She felt Jareth take hold of her hands and lead her through the darkness until they stopped suddenly.

The whole room was instantly aglow with jewels, stars, and sparks encrusted in the walls and floating all around them. The ceiling above opened up to reveal the dazzling night sky. Sarah was overwhelmed by the fantastic sight and clearly showed it. Jareth couldn't contain his pleasure at seeing her reaction.

"Do you like it?"

"Like it? It's… it's amazing! What's all of this for, anyway?"

"Must things always exist for a purpose?" Jareth laughed. "One day I simply felt like creating a room filled with magic. So I did."

Sarah looked at him, and was entranced by the way the lights danced across his clothes, his hair, his face. She could not look away, and Jareth didn't seem to mind. They both stood in the room, staring into each other's eyes for what seemed like hours- yet it was only for a few minutes. The lights eventually extinguished, and Sarah felt Jareth gently grasp her hand and lead her out, leaving the Room of Magic behind.


	3. Chapter 3: The Silent Force

Chapter 3: The Silent Force

Jareth led Sarah into a much brighter corridor, containing three doors. All three of them had door knockers on the front, with faces similar to ones she had seen on doors in the Labyrinth.

"Choose one, dear Sarah."

"But they're all so different!" Each door was intricately carved and had special elfin writing carved into it. All three were so lovely that Sarah had a hard time deciding which one to go into.

"You will see each one eventually. Just choose the one you'd like to go through now."

One of the doors was a bright teal color. This was Sarah's favorite, so she knocked on it. The door knocker woke up and sputtered a bit.

"Uh, who goes there?"

"A sweet and lovely girl who wishes to rest, and your king who wishes to escort her," Jareth told the knocker.

"Ah, yes. Of course. Right this way," and the door opened, letting the two inside.

After traversing two more flights of stairs, they reached a landing and another door. Jareth grinned.

"I believe you shall like this room, very much." He opened the door with a flourish.

"Oh my…!"

The first thing that registered in Sarah's mind was the sweet smell of incense, mingling with the equally enticing scent of a twilight fairy garden- which just happened to be the 'room' she would be staying in. There were hundreds of flowers and plants lining the walls and covering the floor- in fact, there wasn't truly a floor at all. Up above, a glorious chandelier in the shape of a giant rose hung down and glowed with the dim light of wax candles and lighting bugs, casting seductive shadows all across the room. And then, Sarah saw the bed. Naturally, it was a canopy bed- but the fabric was not fabric at all; she could not figure out what the covering was constructed from- possibly a spider's web. But it shimmered and swayed in the gentle breeze that came in through the ceiling, and all of the room seemed to dance with life and happiness. Sarah could not believe her own eyes. How was any of this possible?

"You are happy with it?" Jareth led her into the room, as she had been standing in the doorway for five minutes.

"I…I…" Words could not form themselves. It was a room she could only dream of. It was beautiful, and comforting, and magical. Sarah could imagine living in there for the rest of her days.

Jareth chuckled softly and showed her to the large French doors on the opposite side of the room, which led out to an expansive balcony overlooking the Labyrinth. The moon was full and glowing a marvelous shade of yellow. The stars waltzed about the sky to the time of their own night music. Jareth could not take his eyes off of Sarah, who had closed her eyes and smiled as the breeze played with her hair. He conjured up a bit of fairy-dust and sent it floating through the air. When Sarah opened her eyes, she gasped.

"This is all so wonderful, your highness. I… I'm sure I don't deserve any of it, after all that I did to you."

"Nonsense," Jareth smirked. "If you defeated me at my own game, you must be worthy of everything my world has to offer. No longer need you worry about solving any complicated puzzles… you are grown up, now."

"NO!" Sarah's hand flew to her mouth. Jareth's eyebrows had shot up, but otherwise he had not moved.

"You are afraid of something, my dear," he came closer to her and cupped her chin, forcing her to look up at him.

"I don't wish to be grown up. And I still have an hour to be a child, back in my world," Sarah said loudly, although her voice wavered with emotion.

Jareth stared down at her with his unreadable eyes. She was such a pitiful creature, despite her blossoming appearance. She obviously did not understand… he knew he had to make her understand, somehow, in some way.

They both stood under the moonlight for a moment, both unmoving, their gazes unbroken. Jareth gritted his teeth and stepped back.

"I believe it is time for you to rest. Sleep for as long as you wish. Good night." The Goblin King vanished with a blink of his eyes. Sarah's heart fell. They had been so close to each other… this time she could smell his scent linger in the air long after he had gone. With a sigh, Sarah gazed once more up at the moon. It swirled within the captivity of a midnight haze.

_Good night, Jareth_, she thought.


	4. Chapter 4: No Light, No Light

Chapter 4: No Light, No Light

_Hello, dear Readers! Thanks so much for following my story. It's been a little slow-going due to the fact that I've been extremely busy, ill & am not allowed on the computer for very long amounts of time (which won't be the case at college in the fall!) but I think I'm starting to pick back up on my original idea. Not sure how long the story will end up being- but I hope you all will bear with me ;)_

_Yami Alchemist and Anonymous- So glad you both are enjoying it! Thanks so much for the reviews!_

_Samurai Tsundere- thanks so much for the praise _and _the criticism! I am definitely drawing out the development on purpose, because from my interpretation of the story (having only watched it for the first time a couple weeks ago) it seems that the two really did not get to know each other that well- or that Jareth knew much more about Sarah than she knew about him. But I'm still exploring that idea… and yes, since it's been three years- well, that will be expounded on a bit in this chapter by our beloved Goblin King. But that definitely affects the initial tone of the story. Once they become reacquainted with each other, the friendship will become much more relaxed. Haha and thank you for reminding me of humor- honestly, I didn't even notice. I get so caught up in the drama of my stories that I always forget to make them realistic. It will become more 'normal' soon, I promise!_

_Okay so here it goes- the fourth chapter! Short but important, and still a bit dramatic- dear Jareth is attempting to sort out his complicated feelings. But after a good night's sleep for both parties, hopefully things will begin to unravel and bit more quickly…_

_P.S: Not sure if anyone has picked up on this or not- but all of the names for my chapters come from music- whether it be a band, album title or song title. The first chapter was named after the band Nightwish, whose songs are dark and powerful. The second chapter is named after an album by Alice in Chains, and the third chapter is named after an album by Within Temptation- this band is one you should definitely check out i.m.h.o. And this fourth chapter is named for a song by Florence + The Machine! This song has been running through my head for days, and for some reason I think of Labyrinth when I hear it._

_ANY-way, here's the fourth chapter!_

* * *

Amaleyus was quietly stoking the large hearth in Jareth's master chamber when a ground-shattering slam of the door sent him cowering on the stone floor. He was afraid to turn around and face his master, despite what he knew what would happen otherwise.

"WHY must this happen to me? What have I done? I've done everything I could to please her and still she fears me like I'm the Devil! Oh God…" Jareth faltered as he crashed into his large wingback chair.

Amaleyus waited a moment before rising up on his shaky, spindly legs to face the King. "I-is there anything you require, your Majesty?"

"Just PLEASE leave me alone!" Jareth shouted, then instantly retracted and patted Amaleyus on his little bald head. "I'm sorry… you may have leave for the night."

"Thank you, so very much, sire!" The typically feeble goblin jumped for joy and raced out of the suite.

Jareth swung a leg over the arm rest and tapped his riding crop against the floor in thought. Then he spotted his large leather journal lying open on the intricately-carved desk propped by the open window. He sauntered over to the desk and conjured a crystal ball into his hand. Jareth blinked and instantly saw dear Sarah, sleeping somewhat restlessly in her bed. He almost conjured up a second ball to view her dreams- but he knew better. Jareth took a seat at the desk and scanned through his journal, his mouth twitching at every mention of Sarah's name. All the nights he had spent dreaming of this girl were quickly coming back to him, and Jareth realized what a fool he had been to not have originally known what he realized now. He soon reached a blank page, and dipped his quill pen into the ink pot. The ink was green and, of course, glittery. Jareth rolled his eyes and wiped off the quill, reaching into the desk for a pot of black ink. He re-dipped and began to write in his messy-yet-elegant script…

_Second Week of the Third Moon, Fourth Day_

_13:09am_

_It's as if she doesn't know, she doesn't understand. In fact, I don't believe she does at all. Now that she is finally here again, my darling Mistress does not grasp the full scope of her ever-so-convenient situation._

_Miss Sarah still controls it all- but this time she doesn't want to. She wants to explore her feelings towards me, but is alarmingly hesitant and afraid. Otherwise, she is the picture-perfect teenage girl I knew her to be. When I perched outside her window all those times, I could tell Sarah was slowly coming to terms with her experience in this world and her situation in her life- and of course it broke my heart. She was moving on, creating new ideas with her gifted mind, and eventually placing our world as last on her list of importance. But when I see her now, regression has taken the place of her progression, and extreme solemnity had taken the place of her youthful happiness. This is, of course, due to the fact that she believes her imagination must be discontinued once the stroke of midnight occurs in her world, and her age turns to eighteen- she wishes to slowly expend her imagination to its infinite heights. _

_What I must make her understand is that_

He was beginning to scoff at his pitiful writing skills when Jareth's attention was caught by the crystal ball on his desk. He could see that Sarah was still having trouble in her sleep. Jareth's eyes darted from the page to the crystal, and back- an idea came most welcomingly into his mind. Eagerly, he stood up, grabbed his cloak, and darted out of his room.

* * *

The woods were cold, dark, and frightening. Sarah was wandering aimlessly through them, not knowing where she was to turn. A deep-red river ran betwixt the trees, and the sky was filled with partially-clothed ghosts floating like clouds, their faces ferocious and taunting. Sarah could feel her lungs fill with panic, her heart race, and her body sweat in fear. The trees were becoming distorted, and their branches were extending themselves towards her at a quickening pace. The ghosts were cackling and laughing at her, and she could feel them coming closer. Her first instinct was to run, and so she did, for a time- until the ground began to shake and Sarah lost her footing and fell. Her body would not allow her to rise, so she was otherwise helpless besides the fact that only terrified screams could escape her lips. There was no moon, no light, no nothing- until, out of the corner of her eye, she saw a familiar shape emerge from the shadows. He was barely visible; there was no glitter, no color, except his eyes glowed- in this alone, Sarah knew she could be saved. The shadow moved towards her, stood over her, and picked her up in his arms. Sarah clung to him and wept softly, softly…

"_Sarah love," _he sighed. She looked up into his eyes- and was surprised to see a tear emerge from his green one. The tear glowed red, and left a permanent mark on his sallow face. Sarah could do nothing but kiss the mark. Her lips erased the tear, and the entire nightmare collapsed except for the two of them, embracing in the open space. For the first time in a long time, Sarah felt happy.

* * *

Jareth gazed down at Sarah as a tiny smile formed upon her lips. Her forehead was shining with sweat and her hair was in a tousled mess, but she had finally relaxed. Jareth's heart leapt at the thought of being able to see her smile in her sleep every night, with him beside her, with himself being the cause of it. But Jareth immediately shook the thought out of his mind and focused on the task at hand. Withdrawing a small amount of glitter-dust from his pocket, he leaned over and sprinkled it upon her forehead.

"Now, sleep in your dreamless reverie, precious one," Jareth said, and kissed her cheek.

When Sarah awoke in the morning, she felt a spot of coolness on her cheek, and touched it gently. It was a comforting feeling. She smiled.


	5. Chapter 5: A Creature I Don't Know

Chapter 5: A Creature I Don't Know

_A bit of a longer chapter here- but hopefully a somewhat nice change ;) Named for an album by Laura Marling- the name applies well to the events of this chapter._

_Thanks for bearing with me, dear readers! After immersing myself into Bowie-ness I think I know where to take his character now. Haha. Enjoy!_

* * *

Sarah continued to smile as she stretched in her bed. She had slept another night, yet she was still seventeen. Her whole body felt refreshed and alive, and she could not wait to explore more of the Labyrinthian kingdom. The drapes around her bed swayed in the cool morning air; gentle sunlight filtered through the windows and glistened on the grassy floor. Sarah couldn't help but giggle as she walked from her bed and felt the grass beneath her feet. A few glittering butterflies danced around her head and led her to the large vanity in the corner of the room. Sarah gasped when she saw what a tangled mess her hair was- and oh, her pores looked huge today! She quickly grabbed the hairbrush and smoothed out her long dark locks, braiding it down her back and tying it off with a light green ribbon. Then she took a washcloth and a small bowl of water from one of the shelves and splashed her face. The water was surprisingly cool for having been set out for so long. Sarah stood up and looked into the mirror, much more pleased with how she looked. Then she paled and cried out.

"I'm not wearing a bra!"

Her white nightgown was almost see-through. She had not realized that the night before, when she had wished herself to the Underground. Now her face was bright red. She hoped that Jareth could not see her now.

"Damn it! What am I supposed to wear?" But then, she saw it out of the corner of the mirror. Right behind her was a lovely, majestic wardrobe covered in floral designs and glitter. She immediately knew she would be able to find what she wanted in there. Sarah raced over to the wardrobe and flung the doors open. She squealed in delight.

* * *

Jareth smirked as he ate a peach in the oversized dining hall. One of the cooking-goblins, Marya, came over and stood beside his chair.

"And what is the Master smilin' about this mornin'?"

"Sarah just found the wardrobe," he chuckled.

"How dee-lightful. Well ya better be callin' her down here soon. It's not every day I serve a human breakfast. The food's a-gettin' cold!"

"She'll be down soon enough, Marya," Jareth patted the plump goblin on the head and sent her back to the kitchen.

Sure enough, a few moments later, Sarah emerged through the double-doors and into the hall. Her countenance was overwhelmingly appealing, garbed in a mint-green gown which fit her form perfectly. The cut of the neckline was flirtatiously low… Jareth paused for a moment, then stood up and bowed. He felt his heart rate speed up a bit.

"Damn," he muttered.

"Good morning, your highness," Sarah stood beside his chair and curtsied. Jareth touched her shoulder to bring her back up again.

"Good morning to you, dear Sarah." His breath caught in his throat. Her eyes were dazzlingly brilliant; they danced with the light of youth and happiness, something Jareth had not seen for a long time. He almost fell back in his chair.

"Please, take a seat, milady. His Royal Pompousness ordered a human breakfast for you, so eat up!" Marya came barging into the room, balancing a number of dishes on her arms.

Sarah laughed gently and took the seat a few chairs down from the king. Jareth pretended to look hurt, and Sarah almost regretted her decision. But then he smiled and winked.

"Eat up, love."

Sarah instantly dug in, forgetting her manners completely- but everything looked so good! Chocolate chip pancakes, omelets, bacon, and a large dish of fresh tropical fruit. There was even a steaming pot of tea, and Sarah had gulped down almost half the pot when she paused.

"Won't you be having anything, your highness?"

"Certainly not! I conserve my appetite to feast on the flesh of disobedient goblins," and Jareth bared his sharp teeth to her in the most menacing manner. Sarah almost believed him.

"Pssh, what a bleedin' liar. He eats goose eggs, dandelion salad and waffles for breakfast. Here you are, Your Majesty!" And Marya placed the food before the king, elbowing him in the ribs before she skipped back to the kitchen and closed the door.

Jareth rolled his eyes and began to cut his waffles.

"That one is the most disobedient of them all!"

Sarah smiled sweetly and continued eating. Jareth put down his fork and looked at her intently.

"Sarah, there is no excuse for the way I left you last night. It was extremely rude of me. Please accept my sincerest of apologies."

She looked back at him, and was held captive by his gaze once more. "What on earth are you talking about? You said and did nothing to offend me!"

"Well, I…we were…I mean…" Jareth paused, then grabbed a cup of tea and chugged it down. Sarah almost began to laugh. Was he actually nervous around her now?

"I accept your apology, Your Highness," she bowed her head reverently.

Jareth's heart leapt inside his pale chest. How could she be so pure, so very sweet and lovely? And why should he have to change that? He shook his head and smiled.

"You are most gracious."

Sarah caught quick glances of him as they finished their meal. He was not wearing his cape, nor his vest, and his flowing white shirt was a bit more open than usual. And his strange hair was tied back with a thin black ribbon at the nape of his neck. He looked unnervingly subdued. And yet, he was still wearing his gloves. What an odd person, she thought.

But then, something inside her froze. All the memories from her time in the Labyrinth rushed back to her in overwhelming waves. She remembered the fear, the struggles, and the exhausting puzzles Jareth had put her up to, all to save her baby brother. Sarah stood up and backed away from the table slowly. Alarmed, Jareth stood up as well, and looked into her emotional face.

"What is it? What's wrong?"

"You… you did all of that… I hated you," she choked on her sobs.

Jareth realized what she must have remembered. "Oh no, dear Sarah, please forget the past… that was all long ago. We have changed, both you and I… I would never do anything to you in that manner, ever again. Please, please believe me…" Sarah was now backed against a pillar, and Jareth was prostrate before her, his hands clasped to his heart. They stared into each other's eyes.

Jareth's were full of earnestness and feeling, and Sarah's were red and tearful, something he could not bear to see. He averted his eyes and stood up, towering over her. She shrunk back slightly.

"I cannot stand to have you fear me. I confessed my love for you once. You know by now how I feel. It's stayed with you since that night, I know it has. I can see it in your eyes, the way you look at me, even the way your tears fall as they do now," Jareth wiped one away with a gloved finger. Sarah closed her eyes and trembled slightly.

"I do not fear you… please, let's forget I said anything," she bravely looked back up at him and managed a smile.

Now Jareth was genuinely confused. This was not the Sarah he remembered at all. She wasn't stubborn, she didn't put up a fight, and not once did she ever claim something to be 'not fair'! Why had she changed so drastically?

Looking down at her now, however, all he wanted to do was make her tears go away. He attempted a smile as well.

"Of course, my dear, of course. How about we take a stroll in the garden, hmm? It's particularly beautiful this time of day," and Jareth whisked his little princess out of the dining hall, just as he turned his head and caught Marya's eye. He could tell she was deeply saddened as well.

* * *

_Sorry that had to end on such a downer note- but I realized that Sarah had forgotten all about her previous time at the Labyrinth- wouldn't she still have felt somewhat bitter from the whole experience? How could she trust him again? But it's all better now, and Jareth finally got some things off his chest. Out to the Garden of Healing they go!_

_I'll try to get the newer chapters up more quickly! Enjoy!_

_P.S: I hope the continual drama doesn't bother anyone terribly much- but I'm honestly feeling so emotional about these two as well that my eyes start to tear up at points- oh my. I'm getting far too involved :P_


	6. Chapter 6: There Must Be An Angel

Chapter 6: There Must Be An Angel

_Hello dear readers! This chapter is named for a song by Eurythmics that has been running through my head for days and days lol. _

_Fun Fact: David Bowie and Annie Lennox performed "Under Pressure" together during a Queen concert, in which a bunch of different famous singers stood in for Freddie Mercury. The performance is awesome and is on YouTube. Y'all should check it out- I was blown away :D_

_Anyway, this chapter should be good. Enjoy!_

* * *

The palace grounds were massive, spread out all across and between anything and everything Sarah's tearful eyes fell on. She was being upheld by Jareth's strong hand on the small of her back, as he escorted her out into the ancient Garden of Healing. Jareth had told her on the way that the Garden held the healing powers to almost every physical- and mental- ailment. As soon as they entered through the stone gates, Sarah felt a powerful rush of contentment and happiness inside her- she knew it was only because of where she was, but nonetheless was grateful that the heavy feeling deep inside her stomach had left. The garden was easy on the eyes- no spectacular colors or unusual creatures; in fact, it appeared to be a traditional English garden- though the flowers and herbs were unfamiliar. There were deep blue roses, prickly stalks that smelled of cherry pie, white grasses that twisted and danced despite the lack of wind, and even velvet leaves that dripped a familiar golden liquid.

"These are the Felthard Leaves, from which we get the main ingredient for Felthardin. Drinking the liquid by itself puts the consumer in a deep sleep. The added herbs and spices in the drink aid in reducing the affect," Jareth pointed to the plant with a gloved finger.

Sarah and he continued to stroll through the gardens, with Jareth introducing her to the myriad of different flora in hopes of distracting her. Sarah's face was blank the entire time, both processing everything she saw and processing her internal turmoil, which could presently be examined in an objective manner. After an hour or so, Jareth led her to rest in a bed of soft grass underneath a tree with glittering leaves. He stared at her for a moment, and lay down beside her.

"How did you sleep last night, Sarah?" he inquired, attempting to sound casual. A small caterpillar was crawling up his shirt and he almost flicked it off, but placed it on the trunk of the tree instead.

It took Sarah a moment to gather her thoughts, but she finally opened her mouth to speak. Gentle words escaped them.

"I dreamt of you."

The sides of Jareth's mouth curled up despite himself. "Oh?"

"Yes…I was lost, terribly lost…I thought I was going to die…but then, you came and saved me, and…"

"And what?"

Sarah snapped her jaw shut and turned her head away from him. "Nothing."

Jareth was silent at first, then let out a boisterous laugh. Sarah immediately turned back to him with a deep scowl on her face. "What on earth is so funny? I was seriously afraid!"

"I know, I know. My apologies, dear. Maybe the aura of calm in this garden has affected me…" but he winked at her knowingly.

Sarah gasped. "You…you saw?"

"I was in your dream, Sarah. You were having a terribly bad time sleeping, and I helped you relax."

"Then why were you crying?"

The humor in Jareth's face instantly left.

"There are some things about dreams not even I can control. Since I was in your dream, you had the power over what was happening. I could do nothing to stop you…"

Sarah almost screamed. Jareth's eyes were slowly turning black.

"St-stop it!"

"I could feel your pain, love. I could feel every single wisp of darkness that coursed through your mind, in those moments. And I wish I could forget the feeling, but obviously I can't, as you can see." Jareth's eyes returned to their normal colors.

Sarah's breath caught as she realized she was shaking again. "Why am I so afraid of you now? I never was before."

"Maybe it's because you want to be."

Her brow furrowed deeply in thought.

"It's about time for me to hold Goblin Court. You may stay in the garden as long as you wish. I will find you later, Sarah…" Jareth touched her cheek quickly, stood up, backed away, and vanished with a poof of glitter dust.

Sarah fell back upon the grass, her raven hair entwined in the grass. "I couldn't possibly want to be afraid of him. I know there's nothing to fear… and yet…"

"And yet?"

She jumped up. "Who's there? Show yourself!"

"Oh, who do ya think? It's me!" And a short, dirty, familiar, gnome-looking creature emerged from the nearby bushes.

"Oh, HOGGLE!" and Sarah raced toward him and gave him the biggest hug she had given anyone in a long time.

"Ow! _Owww! _Do you want to crush me or somethin'? Cut it out!" Hoggle protested, but only rolled his eyes.

"Oh Hoggle, I've missed you so much! You have no idea-"

"Well if the fact that my bones are crunching is any indication… it's good to see you too, Sarah," he admitted bashfully.

"How've you been? What've you been up to? What're you doing here?"

"I'm the usual- busy doin' nothin'. But when I heard a rumor that the Champion of the Labyrinth had returned and was staying at the castle, I thought I'd drop by to say hello."

"And I'm SO glad you did!" Sarah hugged him again.

"Yeah, yeah…" Hoggle rolled his eyes again, but smiled.

* * *

Jareth found himself sunk into his throne, the Goblin Court a typical scene of chaos. And, as usual, no one was paying any attention to him whatsoever, so he was free to sort through his thoughts without disturbance. He tapped his riding crop against his chair and covered his eyes with a gloved hand. _How does she still not know?_ Jareth thought. _All the clues are right there, in front of her, but she's blinded herself to everything. Why, she's almost numb…_

Then, a glorious idea popped into his head. He wasn't sure how good of an idea it was, but since he was completely stumped otherwise, it was his only option. Jareth immediately stood up and silenced the Court.

"Everyone, I have a little announcement to make! My dear Champion seems to be in a most foul mood as of late, and I have decided…" his startling eyes took on a most menacing glare. All the goblins gasped in excitement.

"I have decided to put Sarah back into the Labyrinth."

* * *

_Well, this should be interesting! What does Jareth intend to gain from such a scheme? Sarah could not possibly be up for solving the mysterious Labyrinth once again- or is she?_

_Maybe it's exactly what she needs._

_I'll put up Chapter 7 very soon! TTYL!_


	7. Chapter 7: Undisclosed Desires

Chapter 7: Undisclosed Desires

_I had a hard time finding a song for this chapter. So I decided on a straightforward Muse song that somewhat sums up a few events in this and in upcoming chapters, though not actually involving the main 'event' in this chapter. That part… I just couldn't find music for._

_ginny7777: Thanks so much for the review!_

_So, new developments: to recap, Sarah and Hoggle have been reunited, and Jareth wants to put Sarah back into the Labyrinth._

_Uh-oh._

_This could cause numerous problems in the slowly-blossoming relationship between the two. Sareth? Jarah? What's their shipping name? Does anyone know?_

_Anyway- since nothing else has really been bringing Sarah back to her old self, maybe forcing her to face her old 'nemesis' will prove more fruitful than attempting to woo her. Jareth, you crafty boy- your scheme just might work...if you don't get terribly caught up in seducing her first. ;)_

_Here's the new chapter, the longest one yet! Enjoy! Love you all._

* * *

"…and this is the Felthard tree, where the main ingredient-"

"I know, it makes Felthardin, I know!" Hoggle huffed. Sarah blushed and her shoulders slumped.

"I'm sorry, Hoggle, I'm just so glad you're here-"

"As you've said, more than thirteen times already! C'mon, this garden is giving me the creeps," and Hoggle grabbed her hand and led her out of the Garden of Healing.

Immediately the heavy-heartedness came rushing back, and a tear slipped from Sarah's glossy eyes. Though his back was turned, Hoggle knew she was crying. As they walked along the sun-light path through a field of ash-colored flowers, he tried to ignore it for a while; but once Sarah's sniffles turned into audible sobs, he sighed heavily and turned around.

"What's wrong?"

"Just…my birthday, and…growing up, and…Jareth…"

"Is that selfish, pompous, bratty hard-hearted-"

"No, no, Hoggle, he's okay. I think I'm just acting dumb." Sarah sat down on the side of the path and crossed her arms. She squinted as the sun shone into her eyes, and sniffed. "He's been trying everything in his power to make me feel better, but nothing's working."

Hoggle said nothing, but plopped down beside her and played with the jewels hanging off his belt.

"The King's been remarkably kind to me. Things about this place aren't exactly as I remember them to be," Sarah said under her breath.

"Ya know, His Majesty's not one to take defeat lightly. While you were gone, he was a complete mess. The whole kingdom was walkin' around on turtle shells just to make sure he wouldn't inflict his wrath upon them."

"Turtle shells? Oh, you mean egg shells," she smiled.

"Whatever you call it, yes. Jareth's an okay king, for a kingdom full of goblins, anyway. It's not like our society fell apart because of his inattentiveness. But it didn't help matters, either," Hoggle scratched his head and stood up.

"Wow… I never would've guessed…"

"Well, it's best we keep going, Sarah. C'mon," Hoggle helped her up and the two went on their way down the path.

* * *

Jareth watched the two through one of his crystals. He balanced three others in his hand, magically rolling them about, taking pride in his utter control of everything around him.

"That's right, dear Sarah. Keep getting confused. You don't really know how I feel about you. You have absolutely no idea what's going on. And everything is, unfortunately, going according to plan. If you continue to believe that I am in love with you, then all the better for the plan…but worse for me," he sighed.

Jareth placed all the crystals down except for one. He took it in his palm and swirled his fingers gently around the globe as it glittered and turned a seductive shade of pink. Then he breathed heavily on it as he whispered a few gentle words into the crystal.

"My darling Sarah, you will say good-bye to Hoggle and go down the path where the dark forest lies ahead. I will meet you there, my love."

Jareth released the misting pink crystal into the air, and watched it float high above the castle to meet Sarah in the field.

* * *

Sarah stopped short when they came to a fork in the road. One path continued on through the field, and the other led down through dark and mysterious woods, sparkling and glowing with intense magic. Hoggle turned around.

"What is it?"

Her face turned pale, but she smiled. "I want to go exploring a bit more. I'll catch up with you later!"

"Sarah? Sarah, wait!" Hoggle tried to stop her, but Sarah had already vanished into the darkness.

* * *

It was almost pitch-black. There was almost no light to guide her way, and the path curved and twisted in a most peculiar fashion. Sarah was wondering if she was even going the right way. She tripped over stumps and tree roots multiple times, even tearing her dress once on a particularly clingy branch. Sarah was about to give up and call out for help when she stopped suddenly and looked ahead of her. In the distance lay a few mutedly glowing stones embedded in the path. Sarah walked up to them and stared down. The lights were the colors of fire, and they all seemed to share the same pulse… as if imitating the pulse of blood. She gasped when she saw more stones up ahead, and Sarah realized that she was to follow the stones in order to find Jareth.

After a few more minutes of walking, she came upon a small clearing that was lit up by neon-colored lightning bugs and more glittering trees. In the darkness, the trees' leaves glowed, too. A few chattering animals with glorious eyes were racing around her feet and staring up at her in amused curiosity. Sarah wished she could stay, but knew that Jareth was waiting for her. She said good-bye to the animals and continued down the stone path through the blackened forest.

At last, she reached a large iron gate. Sarah could not see over it or through it, but somehow she knew Jareth was behind it. Tentatively, she grasped the handle and pushed the gate open.

"Hello, Sarah," Jareth purred.

She couldn't move. She could scarcely breathe. It was beyond anything she could have imagined. Something deep inside her was set alight, and her spine tingled with a new, unknown warmth.

Sarah found herself in the most beautiful of places- it was a clearing like before, but this one was much larger. The ground was covered in a thick bed of autumnal leaves and grasses, but they were soft and did not crackle as she stepped on them. Lanterns of all sizes were floating in mid-air, casting unspeakably gentle shadows of light onto the trees that encapsulated the clearing. And, in the middle of the clearing was a large canopied bed, very similar to the one in her room back at the castle.

But this is what made Sarah experience such a strange sensation inside her: Jareth was reclining on the bed, in a most casual fashion- and she could see his eyes were fixed upon her, even through the gauzy canopy fabric. His eyes- they glowed with a fierce passion she had never before witnessed. Sarah was almost frightened, but she was drawn further into the clearing, and heard the gate clank behind her- and gasped when she saw it lock by itself.

"Dear child, you have come," Jareth said, and stood between her and the bed as she turned around to face him.

"A-as you wished me to, Your Highness," Sarah stuttered in a barely-audible whisper. She felt as if her heart was stuck in her throat. She almost felt indecent as she stared at the Goblin King.

His hair was as wild as ever, with the blue streaks more prominent than usual. His shirt was similar to the white one he typically wore, and yet this one was only constructed of flowing satin and open to the waist in a bold V. Sarah could see each and every curve of his chest, the elfin-pale skin glowing under the low light. His trousers were none the looser than usual; in fact they were tighter, if that was even possible- but then she realized with a blush that they must have only been black tights. It was clear that he was dressed for a most casual- and intimate- occasion.

Before she realized it, he was standing right in front of her. Sarah shuddered when his scent settled into her lungs- it was one of the most strangely powerful musk-perfume combinations she had ever smelled, and she could not get enough. Jareth watched her intensely, with an amused yet serious expression. She wondered what was wrong with his eyes- for they almost looked demonic.

"Sarah," he sighed, and she instantly collapsed into his arms. Her head was spinning, her spine was tingling and her entire body was too warm. She felt strong arms lift her up and gently place her onto the bed, which caressed her form most comfortingly underneath. It was too much, everything was too much. "Sarah," Jareth whispered again.

"Take off your gloves," she muttered, as her head swirled from his heavy scent.

"What?"

"Take off your gloves," Sarah repeated.

"Promise you won't scream?"

"Why would I…" and she froze as a long fingernail slowly stroked the side of her face. At first she was alarmed, but she realized that, in a strange way, it felt good. She heard him chuckle softly, and felt his breath on her lips. She opened her eyes. His were staring right into hers, the magnitude of their glowing force becoming almost too much to bear. But Jareth placed a hand on each side of her face and forced her to stare into his lovely eyes.

"I want you, Sarah," she heard him say, but his lips did not move at all. Sarah realized she could hear him in her mind.

"I want you, too," she thought, however unclearly- for she realized he was now almost straddling her on the bed.

The proximity of their faces to each other's was dangerous. Sarah's felt her lips being magnetically pulled towards his, yet he would not comply. In her intoxicated stupor, she was almost bothered by this and attempted to convey her emotion by a small moan.

Apparently this was the right action to take. He grinned at her with his sharp teeth.

"Have you ever been kissed before, sweet girl?" Jareth asked aloud as he continued to stroke her flushed cheek.

She shook her head and closed her eyes.

"I didn't think so," he sighed. Sarah thought he almost sounded disappointed. She squirmed a bit beneath him and moaned a bit more. In that instant, she was able to open her eyes again, and she saw his widen in some instinctive reaction.

"Are you going to kiss me, then, Your Majesty?"

Jareth's mouth dropped open, and his sweet breath escaped it. "Call me by my real name," he whispered.

Sarah smiled as her lids automatically dropped to half-mast. She had never used his name before in his presence. It had almost seemed forbidden, like a forbidden fruit…

"Jareth."

* * *

…_.is it getting hot in here, or is it just me?_

_Oh yeah, that's right- it _is _me! Lol!_

_Please don't throw things at me for stopping it there- I'm sorry, but I had to! Haha._

_Our Sarah had broken out of her little shell, hasn't she? Ah, the awakening of womanhood…_

_I will try to put up the newest chapter soon! For now, go get a popsicle and cool down. Take a breather. **Sigh** _

_Can we get some air conditioning up in here?_


	8. Chapter 8: Under Pressure

Chapter 8: Under Pressure

_This chapter has absolutely nothing to do with the song, but the title fits this chapter perfectly._

_Thanks guys so much for the reviews! Keep them coming! ^_^_

_This chapter only happens in the time-span of about 3 minutes, but I put in a lot of extra detail since… well, yeah._

_EnJoYyYyYy!_

* * *

She said his name so perfectly, so articulately… so flirtatiously. It took everything in him not to pull back, not to stop her, not to stop himself as well. This was the plan, the only plan, and it had to go through flawlessly- but, oh, it felt so terribly wrong. Here she was, such a tender and sweet girl, one of the innocents- and it was his job to corrupt her. But why? Why did he have to do it this way? Couldn't there be better options? Couldn't this happen...more _naturally_?

Sarah was gazing at him with the same emerald eyes he had pictured in his mind for so long- and yet, they held a new shimmer inside the irises. Ah, so it had begun.

Her thoughts were quite clear, in this moment. He could feel the desire slowly awakening deep inside her body. He was fascinated by every aspect of her humanity, and this was the most puzzling experience yet. He wondered how it might have been for him, that sort of awakening, had he been born human. He wondered if the feelings, deep inside, were the same for both sexes. For his kind, of which he knew not many more, the feelings were quite different- and, at the moment, extremely difficult to control.

* * *

Sarah's lips were tingling after saying his name. She found that her entire body was tingling, in fact- and she was almost frightened. But something was keeping her calm, at least- and for this she was most grateful.

Jareth was continuing to stare _into _her with a most ravishing intensity. She was convinced he was resisting her urges to kiss him on purpose. Whatever the purpose was, it had better be good- in that moment, Sarah was convinced she would explode.

"I love the way you say my name," Jareth 'said'.

Sarah shot him a playfully frustrated look, to which he responded with the typical smirk, and gently nipped her ear. She jumped as though electric sparks had shot through her bloodstream. Clearly, this was wrong. She wanted it all, more than anything- but there was a new sort of buzzing in the back of her brain, like an alarm, a red flag warning her not to go any further. But how was she to stop him? Everything around her was spinning…

* * *

He had felt the shock go through her system as soon as he'd pulled away. With realization dawning on him, he knew that she was still not ready for this. She would not be so willing… and in anger he gritted his teeth. The plan was going _too _smoothly. The Fates were being terribly generous, and he vainly prayed that they would grant him a bit of bad luck. He had no other option, no alternative to ease her way into it. The break would have to be clean… for him, at least.

* * *

Sarah closed her eyes. She realized that she loved him, too… but she was afraid. She was not ready for this. Why now?

She breathed a heavy sigh of relief when Jareth left the bed and turned away from her. Her body, however, was disappointed, and she quickly left the bed as well, though having to cling to the nearest bedpost to steady herself.

"Why'd you leave?" she asked, her voice huskier than she was used to it being.

When he turned back to face her, she instantly knew there was trouble. "Because, sweet Sarah, I have decided that you and I are going to play a little game, one of which you might _faintly_ remember…" he was almost leaning into her against the bedpost.

She felt the blood drain from her face. "You wouldn't. You promised…"

"Ah, but I would. And promises are so easily broken, especially in the human world. Surely you of all people would be used to it, yes?"

The tears ran hotly down her ashen cheeks.

"My m-mother…"

"Yes, little Sarah. Your mother, the one who ran off to become a famous star of stage and screen, leaving you behind with your confused father and your ignorant little stepmother. Oh, and I forgot to mention the baby…"

"I love Toby," Sarah whispered.

"And that is why, this time, he shall not be in any danger."

"Then why, Jareth? Why are you sending me back?" her fists pounded against his almost-bare chest for a moment, but then she stopped. Sarah instead laid them flat right under his neck, and slowly ran them down to his stomach. Jareth took her hands and held them tightly.

"This is why," he muttered, and kissed them most earnestly. Sarah was completely confused, angry, and turned on all at once.

"I already defeated you once, and I will easily do it again!" she spat out.

Jareth had now forced her back onto the bed, and he stood staring down at her with a most terrible grin.

"You _really_ shouldn't have said that."

* * *

_Uh-oh._

_Chapter 9 will be up soon!_


	9. Chapter 9: Whisper

Chapter 9: Whisper

_Named for the song by Evanescence. Fits this chapter perfectly!_

_Taria Robotnik: Yeah he's being a bit of an… _idiot _at the moment. But I promise you it will make sense later. I hope :P_

_Ariena-Rose Eveilebe: Haha! Here you go! And, yes, it's a bit dark, isn't it? This will also make sense later. In fact, probably everything will make sense later! Everyone's just as confused as Sarah is ^_^ (***including me***)_

_Enjoy!_

* * *

Sarah screamed as the lights went out. She heard a horrifying screech echo back, and she covered her ears.

"Jareth, please don't do this! Please!" Sarah's voice seemed to be drowned out by the terrible noise surrounding her. Where was she now?

"You don't understand," he whispered in her head. "You may never understand."

"I would understand if you would just tell me! Please!"

"Your efforts have been most futile, child. Your heart is shrouded in sadness and your body is weak. I cannot help you in such a state." His velvet speech coated her mind in perfumed elegance. She knew he was right. And he would relentlessly torture her until she gave up.

Sarah found herself sobbing in the darkness. How could she remedy the situation without putting herself into more danger? And what on earth did he want her to understand?

"It's not fair," she said.

Suddenly, there was a flash of light, and Jareth appeared before her, dressed in his more menacing attire. His eyes were swirled in pink mist.

"What was that?"

Sarah stood up and glared at him.

"It's. Not. Fair."

Jareth grinned widely enough so Sarah could shrink back slightly at the sight of his sharp teeth.

"You know nothing of unfairness, Sarah, despite your sad little situation in life. Your experiences have been fairer and more deserving of your seething child's heart than anyone else's. Think of that as your pretty head spins in my Labyrinth."

A familiar-looking clock appeared in back of him. With a flick of his wrist, the hands on the clock went to the number thirteen. He turned back to her.

"Same rules, different game. You have thirteen hours to get to the center of the Labyrinth. If in that amount of time something should… happen to you, you will be whisked away back to your life in the Aboveground and need never see me again. Though, I must warn you- despite the fact that you will still be alive, your life will be much changed from the way it is now," Jareth said.

"How do you mean?" Sarah was startled by the sudden seriousness present in the Goblin King's face.

"The most… unhappy thing would occur," he sighed.

"The fact that I must return to the Labyrinth is unhappy!"

"SARAH!" Jareth uncharacteristically grabbed her by the shoulders and shook her, almost hissing like a viper in the process. "I am not in the best state of mind at this moment, so it would bode well for you to do as I say, lest I become… _violent_."

She shuddered and backed away from him. "Fine."

His eyes blazed. "Thirteen hours."

"It's still not fair."

Jareth's hands clenched into fists and he opened his mouth, but the words would not come. Instead, he conjured a crystal and sent it over to her. The mist inside it was purple and black, strangely glowing and glittering. Sarah thought it beautiful. As soon as she picked it up, music began to emanate from the sphere and sink into her veins. She could almost feel the music inside her, dancing and flowing like a waltz in water. The melody was dark, haunting, and deep- but she could not place any certain instrument which could have produced such a sound. Sarah gasped when it soon became clear that the sound was of Jareth humming, warmly and gently. She looked up and saw that he had vanished. Yet, somehow, he was singing to her, through the crystal. The sound was not audible, but was more of a vibration echoing in her mind. The way the music flowed seemed to send a message to her, caressing her, telling her that everything would be all right. Despite the fact that she was trembling, Sarah knew that whatever Jareth's purpose was for upsetting her, it must have been good. She would pull through. She would survive.

* * *

The sun was beginning to set in the fair Underground. Hoggle shuddered when the first chill of the evening swept over him and he traipsed along beneath the Asberry trees. He huffed and sputtered about Sarah and how she had abandoned him to see the king, despite everything that had happened before. Why didn't she want to be with him instead? He would have sacrificed his life for that girl, when it really came down to it. Jareth didn't deserve her.

"Well, well, speak of the devil," Hoggle muttered when the king appeared before him in a burst of glitter.

"Greetings, Hodville," Jareth sighed.

"…Hoggle."

"Yes, yes. I need you to do a favor for-"

"NO."

Jareth looked shocked. "Excuse me? Are you refusing to help your king?"

"Yeah, pretty much. The last time I helped ya, Sarah got into trouble. And since she just went to see ya, I'm assuming the favor has to do with her. So, the answer is no," Hoggle stuck his nose in the air and continued down the path.

"Now, now, Hiddleston," Jareth gently grabbed him by the collar and swung him around. "I'll admit that my past requested favors have not been of the most _noble_ nature. But this time, I truly want you to help Sarah, in any way you can."

Hoggle's face crinkled up as he considered this. "Really?"

"Yes, really. Right now she is at the beginning of the Labyrinth, and I need you to help her get to the center before the clock runs out."

"YOU PUT HER BACK IN THE LABYRINTH? Why I oughta-"

"Believe me, it's for her own good. And, might I add, you will be rewarded most handsomely for your acquiescence."

The little troll contemplated the situation further, and decided it was for the best.

"Oh, all right. As long as nothing bad will happen to her."

"I _promise _she will be quite safe with you. Won't she?" Jareth smirked.

Hoggle nodded and returned the smirk. "Might I ask what the reward will be?"

The Goblin King kicked him in the rear and sent him tumbling down the path.

"The reward will be the existence of her children," Jareth said.

* * *

It was not how she remembered. Sarah wondered if she was in a different part of the Labyrinth. The walls were not dusty and brown, but these walls were black and slimy. Creepy little eyes were peering at her from every direction. Vines weaved in and out between the bricks, and sometimes one would try to reach out and grab her. This sent Sarah running quickly through the maze, wondering how she would get to the more familiar parts. What was worse, the sun was setting, so the Labyrinth was darker than usual, and it was starting to get cold. All she was wearing was the light green dress found in the lovely wardrobe earlier that day. Sarah stopped and sunk down to the ground. She was already exhausted, and her head was spinning with questions. Who was Jareth, really? What did he want with her? What did he want her to understand? And why was he toying with her emotions? First he was kind, then he was romantic, then he was sensitive- and then, suddenly, he had turned on her, in the blink of an eye. Sarah didn't know if she could trust him at all- but yet, why had he given her this crystal? She pulled it out from the pocket under her dress and held it close to her face. The song began again, seeping beneath her skin and calming her pounding blood. Sarah remembered how badly she had wanted to kiss him, to be close with him for hours. She remembered his soft voice in her mind. And then, she remembered the fear that had sliced through her heart once he had told her she would be sent back here, to the Labyrinth. She closed her eyes and ran through every word Jareth had spoken to her since last night. Why did he have to be so cryptic? Why couldn't he just tell her what she needed to know? Was he truly in love with her? She had to know. She had to find out. Sarah looked up at the sky and gasped when she realized how late it was. How many hours had passed? How many did she have left? Why was she even here? The anger began to bubble up inside of her. This was all too much to handle, to understand, to even consider. Sarah was too tired to play any more games, solve any more puzzles. She just wanted to sleep. And so she did, with the crystal still swirling about in her hand, playing a melody of romance under the pale moonlight.

* * *

_Gah! Sarah! Wake up before time runs out!_

_Hopefully Hoggle will find her soon…_


	10. Chapter 10: Light Me Up

Chapter 10: Light Me Up

_Named for the somewhat-trashy record by The Pretty Reckless. Only the title really relates to this short chapter._

_BadWolf49: Haha! I'm glad someone caught that! I'm so glad you like it, thanks for the review!_

_Guest: _**Oh, not to worry, my dear- Sarah's in quite responsible hands. Despite the situation, I myself would die before allowing her to. ~ J**

_Enjoy!_

* * *

Jareth entered his private chamber and slammed the door shut, leaving no room for Amaleyus to follow him in. Tears were pricking at his eyes, and he desperately needed to be alone with his incredibly depressing thoughts.

"Damn that girl, damn her to Hades," he choked, and fell into his chair by the hearthside. The wood was burning slowly, the fire blazing gold, then, green, then purple. Jareth stared into the flames, mesmerized by the comforting warmth and realism they brought to his glazed pupils.

"Is she _still_ not ready?" he mused aloud. "Could it be that my attempts have been too straightforward?" Inhaling the smoky air, Jareth stood and strode to the large, gaping window carved into his bedroom wall. He leaned onto one side and gazed out at the evening sky. The stars were swirling in their misty loneliness, eternally plagued by their seemingly close distances, but, in reality, having millions of galaxies betwixt them. Jareth realized that, at the moment, his proximity to Sarah's heart was just as vastly distant as it had ever been. How could the plan have gone so right, yet so wrong?

In a flash, the Goblin King had conjured a cigarette into his gloved hand, and, with a pinch of his fingers, set it alight. For a few moments, while inhaling and exhaling the smoke, Jareth began to think quite terrible thoughts- thoughts that almost bordered on the line of complete insanity. What if he deviated from the plan entirely? What if he actually did what he wanted to do for once, instead of letting some overly-imaginative human girl control him? Quite terrible thoughts, indeed, yet long overdue. No amount of grim circumstances would hold them back this time.

Slowly, a plan began forming in his mind. It was a plan quite unique, and quite different, from any other plan he had dreamt of. Yet, it was the one that made the most sense for the occasion, and for Jareth's heart. It would be dangerous, yes- but it wasn't like he hadn't faced danger before.

* * *

"Ow, ow, OUCH! Quit it, ya frantrastical fairy!" Hoggle's gruff voice echoed off of the stone walls covered in moss and slime. He was hunched over, carrying a heavy bag on his back, and was gripping a brightly-glowing fairy in his right hand, who happened to be, at the moment, biting his thumb.

"OWWW!"

"Who is it?! Who's there?" Sarah sat straight up at looked all around her. Out of the corner of her eye, she spotted a faint light in the distance, coming closer towards her.

"Sarah! Finally, I've found ya! Yeesh, what a cruddy thing you've got yerself into this time…"

"…Hoggle? What are you doing here?"

"Helping you through the Labyrinth, of course. What else am I good for, eh?"

Sarah gasped. "Hoggle, you don't know how glad I am to see you- but you have to leave right away. If Jareth knew you were helping me, I-"

"Sarah, he _requested _that I help ya."

She stopped in the middle of helping Hoggle with his bag when her brows knitted in confusion. "What?"

Hoggle smiled and nodded. "Nothing could be truer! Now, c'mon, we gotta maze to solve!"

"But, wait, I don't understand. This doesn't make sense. He's angry with me. Why…"

"Who cares? Let's just get out of here 'afore the time is lost!" Hoggle took up his bag once again, Sarah put the glowing crystal in her pocket, and the two began to race down the path, with an occasional complaint from Hoggle due to the fairy's insistent gnawing on his thumb.

* * *

After a few hours of walking, the dark of night was at its blackest, and the pair was quite exhausted. Sarah spotted a mossy bench attached to a wall, and motioned for Hoggle to join her in resting on it.

"Phew! I feel like we've been making some progress, haven't we, Hoggle?"

"Sure, sure."

"And we haven't really run into any scary monsters or anything, have we?"

"I wouldn't speak too soon. Though, to be honest, I have no idea why Jareth put ya back into this darned place. Maybe you'll get lucky."

"Maybe," Sarah said. Her emerald eyes flew up to the sky as a shooting star flashed through the air, quick as a wink. She felt the corners of her mouth turn up. "Yes, I think Jareth might have something else in mind."

* * *

**Indeed, I do. What a bright creature she is. I think I have chosen well. ~ J**


	11. Chapter 11: The Point of No Return

Chapter 11: The Point of No Return

_Guest: Thank you! I am right nowww :)_

_Named for the lovely song from Phantom. Or from Kansas. Take your pick._

_I request your indulgence, ladies and gentlemen, as I am about to present one of the most cliché twists in all of fandom history- though it will take an extreme amount of explaining to do later, which I will most certainly regret._

_But, alas, here is the eleventh chapter- somewhat short, and somewhat vague. I can promise you now, however, that everything will be explained in due time. I encourage you all to sit back and enjoy the ride!_

_Thanks so much for the continual feedback! Here we go~_

* * *

Zanaphelyus' chambers were draped in black and red silks, imitating the flow of blood.

It made him salivate.

The heartbeat he heard in his tender ears was so soft, so pure, so young- he could hardly stand it. Already, he had spent countless hours pacing in his large, crumbling castle, awaiting word on who the delicate heartbeat belonged to- but, still, he had heard nothing at all. Feeling almost completely defeated, the slender form slouched back into his spiked, blackened throne and heaved a strangled sigh. Zanaphelyus closed his rose-colored eyes.

"Don't you _dare _touch her."

Eyes still closed, he smiled. This was quite an unexpected twist- but, of course, he wouldn't expect anything less from the Goblin King.

"Hello, Your Majesty," the ashen-skinned form reopened his eyes. "What brings you to my humble abode at this time of night?"

"You know exactly why I am here, Zanaphel. I can see it in your eyes, you're craving her."

"Ah, so it belongs to a girl? How _delightful_," the man rose from his throne and approached the glittering royal with a smirk etched into his cheek. "Is this girl, in fact, the very same one which beat you at your child's play, Jareth? Your _Champion?_"

"Indeed, but that is no business of yours," Jareth's brows drew together menacingly.

"Oh, isn't it? Though, I do recall being informed that this castle I exist in, along with everything else inside it, happens to inhabit the fair Underground. Is this not so, my King?"

"Enough of this-"

"So, if that is the case, then I am still a denizen of said Underground, which happens to surround a majestic Labyrinth created in order to confuse and trick little children into mere insanity. And this girl, your 'Champion', did in fact defeat it, and you. Thus, the matter is very well my business, and you'd do well to get down off your high horse about the whole damn thing. Have a drink."

"I will do no such thing, Zanaphel. You should be careful; you've allowed far too much of the Aboveground to influence your way of life," Jareth lounged in a red velvet chaise close to Zanaphel's throne, tapping his riding crop impatiently.

Zanaphel straightened up from pouring his drink and burst into a fit of laughter. "Do you actually _care?_"

Jareth watched him closely. "I care about the safety of my kingdom and all its inhabitants, despite my typically casual manner in which I rule over it. The human world has no place here."

"Have you told this to your precious Champion?" Zanaphel's eyes blazed in black humor. Seeing that his comment made Jareth quiet, he continued to pour his drink.

Meanwhile, Jareth's head was spinning. This small oversight would almost certainly ruin his new plan of action. The fact that Sarah knew nothing at all about what her return meant for the kingdom- and for himself- would eventually prove detrimental. Why hadn't he told her immediately? What was he afraid of?

…He was a coward.

The mighty Goblin King was a coward.

"So, what's her name?" Zanaphel sat across from him in the same lounging manner, sipping his green, fizzing drink.

Jareth's eyes watered at the thought. "Sarah."

The pale man gulped his drink quickly and stared. "My god, Jareth. You're in love."

And, indeed, Jareth's emotions were plainly visible to Zanaphel, whereas a human would not recognize the signs.

"Nothing is going according to tradition, Zanaphel. So I must break with it."

And Jareth relayed every detail of the past day's events he could remember to the man across from him in a split second, using their shared telepathy. Zanaphel's face shifted from one of gentle amusement to one of stricken disbelief.

"What a charming girl," he managed to whisper.

"I know."

"I can see why this will be such an issue now."

"Exactly."

"And, unfortunately, the issue will become even more complicated, as of now."

Jareth immediately leapt from the chaise and stood over the figure, eyes black with rage.

"I came to you in order to convince you _not _to go near her, Zanaphelyus. And I thought maybe, just maybe, you would consider helping me instead. But I suppose I miscalculated things once again. Is this truly how you choose to act?"

The same black look came into the other man's eyes. "This is how I've chosen to act since the second we were conceived, my brother."

"You could have chosen differently. We could have ruled together. I would not have had to cast you out to these dreadfully bleak regions of the Underground had things worked differently."

"And yet…" Zanaphel hissed in Jareth's face, baring his sharpened, black fangs treacherously.

"I see that this is finally going to become our destiny. As you wish, dear brother."

"I've always wanted a good fight," the ashen one snarled, settling into his throne once again. "The Goblin King and his stupid little minions against…

…the Blood Nymphs."

* * *

_Hmm… what is a Blood Nymph, you ask?_

_To be blunt, they are a rare race of vampires- except, well, they can choose whether or not they wish to be one. Technically, Jareth is also considered to be a Blood Nymph, which will be clarified in a later chapter. But Zanaphelyus is a prime example of what one actually is. Ash-colored skin, rose-tinted eyes, a slight figure. His hair is not like Jareth's; it's long, black, and sleek. But the brothers share a few characteristics in common, such as their facial expressions, which are identical. The skin around their eyes has the same pinkish tint and shape. And they both have an affinity for tight pants and poet's shirts. But this is where the similarities end._

_More next time! ^_^_


	12. Chapter 12: Heavy in Your Arms

Chapter 12: Heavy in Your Arms

_From Florence + the Machine. The song's mood suits this chapter and the next one as well._

_Taria Robotnik: Here you go! :)_

_Pinkbubblegum13: Hopefully this chapter and the next few will aid in your curiosity…_

* * *

Dawn was beginning to break over the land, displaying brilliant shades of burgundy, blue, gold, and peach. The air was sweet and fragrant, bearing hints of warmth and love, which Sarah knew must have been intentional. Through the night, as she and Hoggle had walked in silence, Sarah had begun to realize how she truly felt about the Goblin King. Yes, he was certainly much different than she was, for they were from completely different worlds. And Sarah had become quite tired of his mind-games and emotional tidal waves. But there was something there- something she could not quite understand- that told her she could trust him, despite all the evidence that told her otherwise. Sarah knew that if she could trust Jareth, then maybe she could learn to love him, too.

Pulling the crystal out of her pocket, she rolled it gently about between her hands, watching the glitter swirl inside the globe. The music rushed through her once more, sweeping over her like a dark sea spirit, capturing her inside its depths and seducing her into the black, icy sea bed. The humming vibrated inside her head, a soothing sensation Sarah did not want to cease. She could almost feel his arms around her once more, like they had been in her nightmare. Sarah felt as though she was walking inside a cloud, slowly drifting through time and space with the one who had control over it all, in this world, anyway. She did not realize where she was until she felt something tug at her sleeve.

"Hey-o! Sarah! Wake up!" Hoggle shouted.

"Wha…" Sarah yawned and shook her head, realizing that she had been sleep-walking with the crystal in both hands. Blinking rapidly, she looked around her and gasped.

"Hoggle! This is it, right? This is the center of the Labyrinth!"

"Pretty much," he sighed. He led her out into the open circle just as the sun began to rise. At first, Sarah thought she was seeing things- but she realized that she was staring directly at a large marble statue positioned in the center of the clearing. It was of a male form and a female form, waltzing dramatically, their hair swirling about them in an eternal gust of wind.

"I don't get it, Hoggle. Why didn't anything happen? Jareth didn't check up on me or anything. He didn't even send cleaners after us!"

"I dunno, Sarah. I'm beginnin' ta think that this is a trap-"

"Who are they, Hoggle?" Sarah stared up at the lovers made of stone.

The troll hobbled over to the base of the statue and pointed to the foreign markings engraved deep into the marble. "Why, can'tcha read it?"

Sarah looked at him sheepishly. "…no?"

Hoggle let out a frustrated sigh. "It says, 'In Remembrance of the Goblin King Lauretius, and his lovely Queen Evelyn'. Sheesh, are _you _dumb!"

Sarah's breath caught. "Evelyn? But that's a human name."

"Your point?" Hoggle's brow furrowed, and he sniffed in a most irritated manner.

She looked deeply into the eyes of the woman-statue. They were bright, happy, and full of joy and contentment. Then she looked into the eyes of the man. They seemed to be laughing, somewhat amused, and just as happy as the woman. It was beautiful, magical, enchanting. Sarah almost felt as if she should look away, for the expression held between the two was so pure and loving that it seemed too intimate to stare at.

Then it clicked. She turned to Hoggle slowly.

"Why doesn't Jareth have a queen?"

She was surprised when Hoggle fell over in a fit of laughter. "Cuz no one would have him, of course! Haha!"

"Thank you very much, Hoddle. I will take it from here."

Sarah jumped at the voice. She turned around and saw Jareth standing there, wearing his darker attire. With a snap of his fingers, Hoggle was gone, left chuckling hysterically in the Bog of Eternal Stench, which happened to be his personal kingdom.

"My time is up, isn't it? Did I fail?"

"You know very well that you did the exact opposite, my dear. You made it to the center of my Labyrinth within the allotted amount of time," The Goblin King approached the girl and cupped her chin. "Well done."

"So, why don't you have a queen?"

Jareth exhaled through his nose, his lips pursed in thought. "Because I have not proposed to her, yet," he gazed into her emerald eyes as if attempting to extract them from their sockets.

It took her a moment, but soon the deepest of blushes registered in Sarah's cheeks. "Oh."

"Yes, 'oh' describes it perfectly. Let us leave this place. I have much to discuss with you." In a burst of glitter, the pair was gone.

* * *

The castle was bright, glowing, and welcoming. Sarah felt the warmth wrap around her and she sighed happily. She turned her head and saw Jareth staring at her, a mix of pleasure and worry present in his eyes. After a moment, he settled down into his throne and closed his eyes.

"Sarah, I have something to tell you. But I'm afraid you will not like it."

Her heart raced inside her chest.

"You are… well. You came here originally on accident, because you wished your brother away. As the Goblin King, I found it the perfect opportunity to mess around with a human girl, play with her mind, confuse her and watch her suffer as I laughed. But after a few hours of watching you race through the Labyrinth, I discovered that you were different- much different than any other child I had previously encountered. You had determination, passion, and a fiery spirit. And once you ate the peach and fell under my spell, only then did I realize how…"

Jareth paused, with a somewhat thoughtful look on his face.

"…perfect you are."

Sarah felt her knees knocking together. She attempted to steady herself, but ended up having to lean on a pillar instead.

"But, alas, you defeated me. My original plans were ruined. You returned to the human world, and here stayed I, exactly as I had been before. After returning my kingdom to its former _glory_, I admittedly sank into some deep, dark place inside myself, depressed and exhausted from the entire experience of attempting to capture you and make you my…own." Here Jareth chewed on his lip. "I watched you for some time, as you started growing up and becoming your own person, no longer solely relying on your imagination to make you happy. Part of me was delighted for you, but mostly I was incredibly jealous and angry. For once one of my kind attaches themselves to another, they change dramatically. And if the feelings are not reciprocated…" he glared at her. "Things get a bit violent."

Sarah breathed deeply. "Who are you, then, if not human?"

The Goblin King stood up, his cape flowing all around him. "I am, technically, half human. My mother came into this world almost exactly as you did. My grandfather stole her baby sister away, and she endured a series of puzzles and tests in order to retrieve the child. During her trial, my father, the Prince of the Goblins, was watching her from afar, and informed my grandfather that he had taken a fancy to her. The trial was canceled, and instead the rest of my mother's time in the Underground was used so that my father could 'court' her. And when he proposed, she said yes."

"Just like that? After only knowing him for a few hours?"

Jareth left his throne and approached the girl cautiously. "Sarah, I'm not sure if you've noticed, but my kind possesses almost unlimited powers. We can control time, re-arrange space, and do anything else in between. That includes… permanent seduction."

"Permanent seduction? Do you mean…"

"It is impossible to refuse. No one in existence could resist it."

"But… but that's not FAIR!" Sarah shouted angrily. Jareth looked at her guardedly.

"Do you remember last night… the bed?"

All the color instantly left the girl's face.

"I almost did the same thing to you, my dear," he said, without any hint of mirth behind his smile.

Sarah sunk to the floor and put her head in her hands. "Why didn't you, then?"

She heard him come closer, and felt two strong hands grip her forearms. "I wanted you to love me by your own choosing, and not because of my selfish desires. But I have had a terrible way of expressing myself to you, and all I can do is apologize and ask for your forgiveness, if nothing else."

She raised her head and looked into his eyes. Her face was wet and full of tears. He gritted his teeth in spite of himself and looked away. "There's something else."

"What?" Sarah's voice was low and tired.

"Because of my original attraction and attachment to you… if you were at all to permanently refuse me… your future children would be taken away, forever."

She gasped loudly and covered her mouth in shock. Jareth's heart broke when he saw the stricken look in her eyes. It was as if he had slapped her.

"And not just that… you would not even get to meet them, ever. To use human terms, you would be barren for the rest of your life."

Her tears hot tears flowed in a continuous stream. Jareth could feel the anger and pain coursing through her body, and it made him ache for her.

"There's nothing I can do, and this is what I regret most, above all else. It's just the way things are here, and if it was in my power, I would give you as many human children as you wanted, with whomever you ended up falling in love with in the Aboveground. But I have made a terrible mistake, and I…" his voice cracked. Sarah looked up at him curiously. "If there's anything at all I can do… any way to make amends… anything…"

She reached for his cheek and caressed it gently, despite the tremor in her hand.

"I understand."

* * *

_I will try to update as soon as possible. Thanks everyone :)_


	13. Chapter 13: Bitter Sweet

Chapter 13: Bitter Sweet

_Song by Flyleaf. If things still seem a bit unclear in this chapter, my apologies. I was just trying to write it put it up as soon as possible- more will be explained soon :) thanks._

_pianoloverred17: Thanks so much! I will!_

_samcarter1022: Thank you so much! And I'm glad you like the chapter titles too ^_^ we must have a similar taste in music then!_

* * *

Jareth touched the small hand that was caressing his face ever-so-lovingly.

"Do you?"

"I think I do. I knew there must have been something to… irritate you like this. I felt it. I knew."

"But you were so frightened-"

"Yes, I was. At one point I was scared for my very life, but then I remembered: you still have no power over me,"

Sarah smiled sweetly. She sniffed and brushed the tears from her eyes. "But there's something you should know."

Jareth's lips pursed, and his eyes fell in anticipation of whatever she would say.

"I trust you."

His mouth fell open, but he closed it quickly.

"This crystal you gave me-" she pulled it out from beneath her dress. "It reminded me of something, from a long time ago. My grandmother, she had an enormous collection of snow globes that she kept in the attic of her old house. Whenever I stayed with her as a little girl, I would always somehow manage to sneak up and look at each and every one. I imagined myself living inside the ones that had small houses or villages inside them. And when I gently turned the globes upside down and back again, I'd watch the snow inside it swirl around, and at times I thought myself to be cold," she giggled. "This crystal is sort of the same- except, instead of feeling cold, I feel music."

"It's your music, my dear," Jareth said, taking the crystal from Sarah's hands and rolling it about on his own. "My heart composed it just for you." He brought it close to her face, and its reflection glowed in Sarah's eyes. Tenderly, he kissed the crystal, and sparks ignited at the core. "It is a gift for you to keep no matter what the outcome may be from these circumstances. And it is probably a much more appropriate gift for you to accept than the one I previously offered you," he smiled. Sarah eagerly took it back, holding it tightly and keeping it close to her body.

"I accept," she said. "Thank you."

Jareth simply stared at her with his indifferent expression. "There's another, more pressing matter that needs to be addressed, my girl." He helped her to stand up and led her to his throne. "I'm not the only one who... desires you to be his Queen," Jareth muttered.

Sarah's head jerked about in a flash. "You're not serious?"

The Goblin King laughed in spite of himself. "Unfortunately, I am."

She stared at him for a moment. How could this be? And did he really just admit that he wanted her to be his Queen? Playing the part of a minx, she slowly rose from the throne and smirked at him, purposely acting flirtatious.

"Is that a proposal, my lord?"

That definitely got his attention. Small lines formed around his eyes and his cheeks flushed. "It would be, if the proposal itself wouldn't cause a war."

Her face fell. "Can't you just tell me who this other man is?"

She almost regretted asking him the question. His body visibly stiffened, losing any and all traces of casualness and leisure. "He is my brother."

"You... you have a brother?"

"Yes. Despite us sharing the same blood, he is East and I am West. Throughout the years, we have grown further and further apart, and now..." he looked right through her. "You have become the catalyst. Zanaphel has always been searching for a legitimate reason to pick a fight. I do not wish to destroy him, but he will not rest until he has made you his..." Jareth visibly shuddered and turned away from Sarah.

She remained quiet for a moment. This was definitely more serious than she had originally believed it to be. "What?"

Sarah saw the anger course through Jareth's entirety. He was shaking, and it frightened her.

"My brother is a Blood Nymph, full blooded. He rejected the rest of his ancestry. I, on the other hand, embraced all of it. I took the good with the bad, and became my own self out of it. But Zanaphel follows the Blood Nymph traditions to the letter. And, traditionally, Blood Nymph males do not take brides... they create harems instead." Jareth's voice lowered in embarassment.

Sarah felt something shoot up her spine. "What exactly is a Blood Nymph?"

"The vilest, lowest filth in existence. They promenade about the Underground and pretend as if they're Fae, like myself. But they're only a shadow of what they could be, the life they could have tried to choose. Instead, they suck the life out of any human they can get their frozen, blue hands on- and inside, they are lined and filled with darkness, evil, black blood. I don't want him to touch you, or even get within a hundred kilometres' distance to you, I..." the Goblin King was at his most ferocious, exuding rage from every pore. Sarah was not sure of what she could do to help him, but she wanted to try whatever she could. Carefully, she came up behind him and took a small strand of glittering hair between her fingers.

Jareth was most grateful that she could not see the tiniest amount of lust which sparked in his eyes at that moment.

"I still don't understand most of what's going on, Your Highness, though I very much wish to. Maybe you should just tell me everything."

"No. I can't."

"Well... fine then. Just tell me what you _can._"

Warily, the man turned to face her. He took her hand and kissed it delicately, bowing at the waist. Then he conjured a tiny cluster of wild blue flowers and tucked them behind Sarah's ear.

"You must rest, sweet girl. You've had a long night."

Despite her protests, Sarah was led up to her room by one of the palace goblins, and quickly left alone. The room was still the same, but the flora inhabiting it seemed to be a little less alive than what she had seen it as the day before. The air felt damp and chilly. She quickly changed out of her dress and put her nightgown on, rushing to get into bed. Not as many lights were dancing, and the flower chandelier looked as if it were losing its petals. The room slowly grew darker and darker, until only the light from outside shone onto the floor. Sarah left the bed to draw the curtains closed, but immediately regretted it when she turned back around.

She screamed.


	14. Chapter 14: You're No Good

Chapter 14: You're No Good

_Song by Linda Ronstadt. It's just a fun song._

_Taria Robotnik: IM SORRREEEEEYYY here you go!_

_Aisling66: Was it really that obvious? ;) Correct._

_ButterflyOnTheWall: Oh please don't internally disintegrate, dear. Here you go! Here's the chapter! And I liked your other ideas for what she might've been screaming at... damn, why didn't I think of those?_

* * *

"Hello, dear Sarah. My, what a lovely thing you are…"

A pair of glowing-red eyes were staring at her. She could faintly make out the shape of a tall, thin man with long, straight black hair and a monstrous grin. Before she could open her mouth to scream again, his cold, clammy hands were clamped over it, the eyes and the form having traveled to the place behind where she was standing.

"Tsk, tsk, love. Don't be so frightened! I'm not here to devour you or anything," the man hissed into her ear.

Sarah attempted to writhe her way out of his grasp, but one of the man's hands went to her waist in order to steady her, and pushed her up against him.

"Ah, now that's a bit better!" the man's voice lowered, though Sarah thought he still sounded like a snake ready to bite. Tired of trying to fight him, she stood still and crossed her arms. The man chuckled lightheartedly.

"Now then, are you more willing to talk, child? Or will I have to pin you to the wall?" which he obliged to do. Sarah screamed into his hand. She was now facing him, forced to look into his piercing eyes.

"Oh, hush. This is only for dramatic effect, I promise you. No harm in enjoying the moment, hmm? It's not every day I get to converse with a human girl."

"I know who you are!" Sarah shouted into the chilled hand.

"What was that?" The hand was removed.

Sarah growled at him, surprised at her own instincts. The man laughed again.

"Oh, my! What fun you are!"

"You're Zanaphel, Jareth's brother! You're a Blood Nymph and you're after me!"

"Actually, my correct name is Zanaphelyus. Zanaphel is the name my Fae father gave me, but adding the 'yus' makes me sound a bit more classy, don't you agree?"

"NO!" Sarah shouted.

"And, yes, I am a Blood Nymph, and, yes, I suppose I am, techincally, 'after you'. But that makes it sound so much less romantic, my dear."

"I could never love you, not in a million years! Leave me alone!" Sarah continued to squirm, but stopped when Zanaphel leaned in closer.

"But, my pet, your blood calls to me like none other! The scent of your skin could make me melt, and your eyes… goodness, no wonder Jareth is so taken with you."

"And I'm taken with him! So go away!"

Their lips were almost touching now. Sarah could feel his icy breath on her face. At first it smelled like mint, but her stomach turned when she realized it was meant to cover up the scent of decay.

"Are you now?" His voice no longer held a teasing quality.

"Y-yes," she squeaked.

"Let me tell you a little something about my brother, Sarah. He's not the dashing, mysterious king everyone makes him out to be. On the contrary, he's violent, depressing, and a coward. My brother could've controlled the entire Realm of Dreams, but he refused, and instead is stuck here in the Underground, bossing around measly little goblins and prancing about like an elf. He's not worthy of your love, my dear."

"And you are?" The skepticism in Sarah's voice was biting.

"Not in the least, but a great deal moreso than your glittery fairy king."

"Hold your tongue, Zanaphel."

Sarah's body relaxed instantly. Jareth had appeared in a flash of light and was currently pinning his brother to the wall right next to her. She stepped away and clung to the nearest bedpost.

"Ah, Jareth. I knew you'd be dropping by to join us sooner or later."

"What did I tell you about going near my mistress?"

"Oh, so she's your mistress now, is she? Tell me, how many times have you-"

"SHUT IT, ZANAPHEL!" Jareth had thrown the thin creature to the floor and pinned him in place with shards of a crystal ball. He immediately rushed over to Sarah and held her tightly. "Sarah, are you all right?"

"I didn't suck her blood, if that's what you were wondering," Zanaphel muttered.

Sarah nodded and clung to the Goblin King as tightly as she could. She was surprised at his warmth, and how safe she felt with him this close to her, after everything that had happened.

She didn't want to let go.

"Aw, how cute. What an adorable pair you make. Too bad she'll be with me instead," Zanaphel broke away from the shards and stood up quickly.

"Why do you want me, Zanaphel? I'm not a Blood Nymph-"

Jareth hushed her and kissed the top of her head.

"Why, that's the precise reason I do want you, child! Your blood is like a perfect blend of sugar-sweetness with a bit of dark, smoky woods and- could that be tears, I sense? You've shed many a tear, love."

As she was doing now. Jareth extended a gloved hand and conjured a black crystal. "Leave, Zanaphel, or suffer the wrath of the Ages."

The thin man burst into a fit of laughter. "Ooh-hoo-hoo, I'm so very frightened! Ha ha!"

Jareth smirked. "Well, you asked for it." He threw the crystal at his brother's feet, and Zanaphel instantly burst into flames. The nymph began to scream and curse, and disappeared in a cloud of thick black smoke.

Sarah exhaled deeply, and was embarrassed when she realized she was still clinging to Jareth long after Zanaphel had disappeared.

"Oh," she said quickly, and let go.

Jareth put his hands on his hips and looked at her disappointedly.

"Why did you let that go on for so long without calling for me?"

"I… I thought maybe I could handle it myself," Sarah admitted quietly.

"Handle it yourself? Are you daft? If he so chose, he would've sucked your blood clean out through your neck before I had any chance to get here," Jareth sputtered angrily.

Sarah felt her face flush, and she turned away.

"God, I'm so tired…"

"Sarah," Jareth whispered.

Her head turned. "Yes?"

He paused for a moment, then strode over and embraced her once more.

"My brother has a lot of power, but not as much as it may seem. He lost most of his magic through his transformation. I can beat him, at anything. He just doesn't want to admit it."

Sarah nodded. "I understand, Your Highness. It's fine. But, really, I have to sleep-"

"Oh, of course. Yes." The two let go awkwardly, and Sarah climbed into bed. Jareth couldn't take his eyes off her, so delicate in her nightgown…

"Ahem. Good night," she said for the fourth time, before he shook himself from his thoughts. Embarrassed, he bowed quickly and disappeared from the room.

Sarah's mouth twitched. She took the purple crystal from off the nightstand and held it close to her heart, drifting off into a deep slumber to the melody which soaked through her nightgown and into her skin.


	15. Chapter 15: Pale

Chapter 15: Pale

_Okay so the title is named for a beautifully perfect song by Within Temptation. The song doesn't quite fit the context of this chapter so much, but, if nothing else, could you please listen to this song? It's seriously gorgeous. I can't stand it._

_Anyway, this one is what I'd like to call a "fluffernutter chapter". Most of this chapter is pure fanfiction pillowiness of me writing off on a tangent. But it legitimately happened in the story. Just. Maybe not as fluffily. Idk. _

**Ms. Ladyrose~ The last chapter was a bit appalling. The fight scene between me and my brother was almost pitiful. I would appreciate it (as would your followers) if you would be a bit more descriptive and a bit less... _predictable _next time. ~J**

_Mr. Jareth, King of Goblins, etc. ~ Just writing it how it was :P ~ladyrose837_

* * *

Midday filtered itself through the large windows in Jareth's chamber, but he did not even notice. The Goblin King was too enraptured by the crystal he held in his uncovered palm, the crystal which showed him Sarah's dreams. His long fingers curved around the sphere in a delicate manner, and his unique eyes quickly shifted back and forth as he attempted to take in everything he saw. Jareth was unabashedly fascinated by the inner workings of his desired bride; he wanted to understand how exactly she ticked, what her desires and passions were, and who she wanted to be as an individual.

Jareth had never truly had this much time to analyze a human before. All his other encounters with humans were usually quick and ended with tears, from the humans, of course. But Sarah required extra attention- something he was free and willing to give, since he technically possessed an unlimited amount of time to do so. Jareth repositioned himself in his chair, swinging a leg over the side, and peered deeper into Sarah's dream.

* * *

The path, this time, was bright and lined with snow. Sarah's footsteps crunched quietly, her breath making puffs of mist in front of her. Overhead, the sun was shining warmly, and the trees all around her glittered and swayed in the gentle breeze. Everything seemed to be perfectly calm, peaceful, and without error. She continued to travel along the endless path for some time, enjoying the reprieve the scene gave her mind and her heart.

* * *

Jareth smiled when Sarah did in her dream. He knew he shouldn't, but he was almost disappointed that this dream was not more interesting. Jareth shrugged and set the crystal aside, going from the chair to his oversized bed. He removed his waistcoat, shirt, and boots, and eased himself into the pile of pillows at the center of the bed. Jareth gazed up at the multicolored tapestries that draped over the bedposts, then turned his head to look out the window. The skies were bright orange, quite normal for midday in the Underground. With a snap of his fingers, the sky turned a pleasing shade of turquoise. Grinning, the king settled into the most comfortable position he could find- sleeping upside down- and drifted off to be with his thoughts...

* * *

Snow began to fall, gently and quietly. It swirled around and picked up Sarah's ebony hair. She thought she could hear tiny echoes of laughter coming from the snowflakes, but she shook her head, knowing that this was an impossibility. The air began to chill, and Sarah hugged herself and shivered, as her nightgown was quite thin.

After traveling farther down the path, she saw that it began to curve up ahead, and the trees were growing thicker and darker than usual. Sarah stopped in the middle of the path, turned her head to glace backwards, and continued to walk briskly. The breeze picked up the lacy hem of her nightgown, and she felt goosebumps form on her calves and travel up to her thighs. After closing her eyes and opening them again, the white nightgown was replaced by a black crepe Victorian mourning dress, trimmed in frills and lace. On her shoulders and tied by a ribbon at the neck was a deep burgundy colored cape which trailed behind her like a blood-stained sail. Sarah was barefoot, but she could not feel the cold. And if she looked in the mirror at that moment, she would see how pale and sickly her skin had turned. Purple circles had formed under her eyes, and her cheekbones were unhealthily pronounced. Sarah finally turned the corner, and stopped suddenly. Her heart rate increased. She thought she would scream, but then she realized who the shadowed figure standing farther down the path belonged to, and relaxed.

In less than a moment, he stood right in front of her, glittering in the darkness. He extended his bare hand and held out a blood-red crystal to her, which she gladly accepted. Sarah could not take her eyes off of his sculpted chest, resembling marble in the shadow-light. Jareth was smiling down at her lovingly.

"Aren't you cold?" she inquired, for he was only wearing his tight pants out in the wilderness. His smile widened, and he shook his head. Before she knew it, his hands were caressing her jaw, and her arms encircled his waist. He was so warm…

"Will you be my queen, love?" he purred.

Sarah felt her entire face flush, and she nodded.

His hands left her jaw and traveled down to the buttons at her lace collar. Slowly, he began to undo each one, until he reached the top of her corset. Sarah trembled. Jareth lowered his lips to her collarbone and kissed it, then made a trail of kisses up to the side of her neck, just below the ear. His warm breath made her laugh.

"I thought it would be easier to propose in your dream. Zanaphel will never know," Jareth said into her ear, then nipped her lobe and stood back to gaze into her eyes. His brows drew together, and the smallest wrinkle formed between them. "You look unwell, sweetheart."

"Do I?" Sarah touched her face, and felt the amount of flesh lacking on it. Jareth lifted a finger and stroked her cheek with his fingernail. She trembled again.

"Now that you've proposed to me, and I've accepted… aren't we supposed to kiss?"

Jareth frowned. "It's only legitimate when it's in person. And that is what Zanaphel will see."

Sarah felt a tear escape her eyes.

"Now, now, we'll have none of that," he quickly brushed the tear off her cheek. "Soon enough, my dear. Patience is a virtue, as you humans say!"

"Of course…" Sarah sighed, and leaned into him, smiling when his arms held her closer.

"Now then," Jareth kissed the top of her head. "This dream is much more pleasant than last night's. Let's enjoy it, shall we?"

"As long as you won't leave me until I wake."

She felt him suppress laughter.

"I promise I won't. Now, why do you look so unwell?" He looked down at her with a somewhat concerned expression.

"I- I don't know. I suppose it's just one of those dream-things," Sarah touched her face again. "Is it really that bad?"

"Yes, you look like d-," Jareth stopped, his eyes widening.

"What is it?"

He remained silent for a moment, then his fingers went to her collar once more. Jareth folded back the side opposite of where he had kissed her, and gritted his teeth. Sarah felt his fingers touch the side of her neck, and she was surprised when she jerked back on reflex.

"Ow! Why does that hurt?!" she cried.

"Because," Jareth hissed, "You've been bitten."

* * *

**Ms. Ladyrose~ Do not use that tone with me. You should be grateful I even offered you the position as scribe of this tale. As for this chapter, I must admit, you portrayed it quite accurately. Well done. I will give you one wish...**

**But unfortunately, no, I cannot make you marry David Bowie. My apologies. It's completely out of the question. ~J**


	16. Chapter 16: Beautiful Darkside

Chapter 16: Beautiful Darkside

_Song by The Classic Crime. _

_Taria Robotnik: GAhhHH 0_0_

_Ree923: Oh my goodness. Thanks so much for reading my humble little fic ^_^ I'm thoroughly enjoying Second Chances. You're doing a wonderful job with it. Thanks so much!_

_Princess Fox Fire: Haha. Hopefully!_

_This is a tiny chapter. I just needed to get it up while I'll be attempting to compose my much lengthier and in-depth chapter. It's been crazy around here as I'm packing up for college. Jareth hasn't been much help at all. He just sits atop my suitcase, mutters intelligibly, and gets glitter on everything._

_Here's a bit!_

* * *

"What?!"

Sarah's hands immediately flew to her neck, where she felt around the two small puncture wounds that were positioned atop her jugular vein.

Jareth was shaking with anger, despite his serene facial expression.

"Please tell me that this is just a part of your dream," he whispered.

"I-I don't know, Jareth. How could I know? One minute I was in my nightgown, and the next, I became like this," she motioned to her gothic attire.

"Unfortunately, my dear, I will have to leave you alone for a moment… I will wake up and check on you."

"Please don't leave…" Sarah sighed.

"It'll be just a moment. You will not leave my sight, I promise you, my dear,"Jareth touched her pallid cheek and disappeared into the shadows. Sarah shivered and sat down on the snowy ground, attempting to wait patiently but failing miserably. She watched as her breath continued to make puffs of mist in the supposedly frigid air. Paranoid of her vulnerable situation, Sarah continued to stare down each side of the path, making sure no one was coming after her. But then she remembered what Jareth told her, that she would be safe. Sarah realized that if they were ever going to start a successful relationship together, she would have to learn how to trust his word. So she leaned back into the trunk of a tree and closed her eyes, forcing every ounce of apprehension to disappear from her body and her mind.

* * *

As soon as his eyes were open, Jareth jumped off of his bed, threw on his shirt and began to race out of his room. He stopped suddenly, rolled his eyes, and transported to Sarah's room with a snap of his fingers. Jareth took in the scene instantly, and hurried to her bedside. Gently, he turned Sarah over and lifted her hair away from her neck, and breathed a sigh of relief. There were no puncture wounds whatsoever. Jareth felt his body relax, and he carefully sat on the edge of the bed so as not to wake her, for she looked so very peaceful, now… almost like an angel. The way the loose strands of hair caressed her face was breathtaking, and the fashion in which her lips trembled as she slept made him smile. Sarah was a darling girl, and Jareth knew that he could never let her leave his sight until he knew for certain that she was safe.

* * *

Marya decided it was about time that she served breakfast to the human girl, for it was well past that hour anyway, and the girl hadn't come down to eat. In fact, neither had Jareth, and he always was on time for his meals… well, besides the fact that he controlled the time anyway. The round little goblin gathered up a tray of food and set off to Sarah's room. As she climbed the stairs, she thought about the events that had taken place the day before, and the look that Jareth had given her right after the argument he'd had with the girl. Marya knew that Jareth was desperately in love, but did not know how to control the feeling. He had never truly been in love before. Yes, he'd had many a lovely creature at his side before, but it was never like this. Those ladies had just been his playthings, for fun. Marya knew Jareth had been living such a lonely life before this Sarah girl came to the Underground, but now…

She opened the door and began to walk into the enchanted room, but stopped suddenly and smiled at the scene she beheld. Sarah was sleeping soundly on the bed, curled up in Jareth's arms. Her face was nuzzled into his chest, and his entire body was somehow wrapped around her, as if to protect her from anything that could bring Sarah harm. Marya felt a few tears come to her eyes, and she sniffed, placing the tray silently onto an end table, and sneaking her way out of the room.

"I believe I just beheld a glimpse of my queen," she said to herself, and closed the door.

* * *

_Thanks so much for the continued support. I'm almost at 50 followers, and I honestly can't believe it :) I'll try to the get the next chapter up as soon as possible, but the next week is gonna be pretty crazy. Love you all!_


	17. Chapter 17: Gentle Hour

Chapter 17: Gentle Hour

_By Yo La Tengo, off of the amazing charity album Dark Was the Night._

* * *

The girl and the man were traveling down the snow-laden pathway, locked arm-in-arm. The girl was laughing gently, and the man had a look of pleasure about his features, clearly seen in every crease of his smile. The girl appeared to be much healthier than she had been just a while before, for once she was informed that the wound was not real, the blood filled back into her cheeks and lips, and her eyes glistened once again as she gazed up into the face of the man who had once been an object of fear and nightmares, and who was now an object of her affection.

The two could have gone on like this for ages, but Jareth knew that much needed to be explained to Sarah before they could officially become engaged. He wanted her to know what she was getting herself into; there was a small part of him which was afraid at how she would react. Would she reject him, or would she understand?

"Sarah," Jareth stopped and purposefully turned to face her.

She tried to be serious, but the shadows of laughter still lingered around the corners of her mouth. "Yes?"

"Do you… are you willing to… become involved with me?" His brows drew together.

"…yes. After we've both gotten to know each other, and everything," Sarah said carefully.

"That is the point I was hoping to make," Jareth sighed. "I know far too much about you, and yet, you know next to nothing about me."

"Well, that can easily be remedied, can't it?"

"I should hope so." Jareth stepped aside so they could continue their walk.

"What do I need to know about you?" Sarah looked up at him and smiled once more. Something about his features looked especially regal at that moment; the way his lips were stern and tight, yet gentle. And his eyes were wide open and focused upon some invisible target far ahead of him.

"What would you _like_ to know?" Jareth asked.

"Hmm," Sarah looked ahead as she thought. "Let's start off with the basics. What's your favorite color?"

Jareth almost snorted, but remained poised. "Silver."

"Really? Why?"

"It's the color of our blood. It is the most morbid and mysterious color to my race," he looked down at her. "Does that make sense?"

"Yes, of course…" Sarah's stomach turned a bit at the thought, but she shook it off. "Do you prefer sunshine or rain?"

"Neither," he said.

"Neither?"

"Yes. I prefer the cool, still, starry nights that you humans experience in your world. In order to have that here, I need to make it happen myself. It's not like that naturally."

"Oh."

"These questions are quite superficial, aren't they?" Jareth smiled.

"No, they're not! In fact, they're actually quite common ones to ask in my world."

"That's something I have never understood about humans," he sighed. "Why they insist upon making superficiality the norm of their society. Why don't they like to ask about the deeper meaning in life?"

"Maybe because they're afraid of the answers," Sarah whispered. "Maybe they're afraid of being wrong."

"How do you mean?"

"Well, if people go their whole lives living one way and being content in that, and one day they discover that the life they had been leading was not truly what they wanted it to be at all, they would probably be devastated," she explained.

Jareth gazed at her proudly. "You've come a long way, my dear."

"I have? From what?"

"When you were in my Labyrinth the first time, you would come to the silliest conclusions," he laughed. "But, after a time, you figured out which questions were the correct ones to ask, and what things were the correct ones to provide as answers. And, since then, your lovely mind has progressed even further." Jareth stopped them again and held her close to him, but far enough back so that he could still see her eyes. "You are remarkable."

Sarah felt herself blush. Why was he being so serious?

"T-thank you," she stammered out. His scent was filling and overwhelming her body once again.

"I cannot wait to see how you will rule as queen," Jareth sighed, and kissed her forehead. The pair remained close together for some moments, until Sarah cleared her throat.

"Yes?"

"I…" she started. How was she to ask this?

He turned her face towards his, and waited.

Sarah's eyes shifted around as she thoughts of the right words.

"Please, don't think of this as silly-"

"Never," Jareth replied firmly.

She smiled warily at him, then tried again. "How… is love different for you than it is for me?"

A mix of emotions visibly swept over Jareth's face, and then he smiled. "Are you referring to the physical effects? The emotional ones are the same."

Sarah let out a bit of breath. "Oh, good."

"Ha ha. No, love is essentially the same for us. All the emotions that entail are identical to yours. But the physical reactions are quite…" he smirked. "Different."

She gulped nervously. "Oh?"

Jareth's eyes flashed. "But we'll save that conversation for a more _appropriate _occasion, shall we?"

"Yes, please!" Sarah laughed, and she leaned into him. They locked arms once more. "Should I be getting up now? What time is it?"

The Goblin King scoffed loudly. "Humans and their obsession over time. I control time, dammit."

"I understand, but I don't wish to be lying in bed doing nothing for ages! I'd like to see more of the Underground," Sarah teased.

"Ah, of course, love," his arm wrapped around her shoulders. "I can think of multiple places of interest I should like to show you-"

"Jareth?"

"…yes?"

"That statue at the center of the Labyrinth, the one close to your castle… who is it for?"

Jareth bit his lip and shook his hair out. "It was built in remembrance of my parents."

Sarah stopped them from walking. "What happened to them?"

"They left this place before their time," Jareth's breath caught. "And it was all my fault."


	18. Chapter 18: I Write Sins Not Tragedies

Chapter 18: I Write Sins Not Tragedies

_From Panic! at The Disco. Title seemed fitting._

_Taria Robotnik: :'(_

_Ree923: Sorryyy ^_^_

_PandaChan915: Thank you so much! I'll keep trying to!_

_A peek into Jareth's past._

* * *

"All your fault? How?"

Jareth turned away from Sarah and stood still for a long time, hiding the myriad of emotions present in his eyes. He had not thought about his parents for quite some time… nor had he tried to recollect the events of their passing. Jareth was not sure as to how much information he should share with Sarah at that time… maybe it would be best to give a vague summary. Yes, that would have to do for now.

"I was given one task, and one alone. I had to deliver my parents safely from the Underground to the Reaches of the Stars. I didn't."

Sarah bit her lip and sighed heavily. "What happened?"

Jareth felt a small tear escape his dilated eye as the unavoidable flashback struck across his memory.

* * *

_"Well, we should be all set now, son!" The tall king patted the glittering young prince with the spiky blond hair on the shoulder. The king and his queen were stepping into a grand boat with golden sails, with the wind attempting to force the boat backwards on the clouded waters. Another boy stood farther away, watching his parents and his brother with a keen eye. His eyes were tinted with scarlet and rose, and his fists were tight and sweating. How unfair was it that his older brother got to do everything exciting, and the only thing he was told to do was to control his desire for blood?_

_The boy with the spiky hair embraced his father, then turned to his mother, who immediately hugged him and laughed gaily._

_"Oh, Jareth, you sweet boy! Remember to keep Zanaphel out of harm's way, and feed the black chickens twice a day. The Underground is in your hands until we get back. You'll keep it safe for us, won't you?"_

_"Of course, Mum!" The boy saluted his mother and beamed as she pinched his cheek. _

_"Now, son, you remember what to do. Focus all your energy on the golden sails. Keep them moving. The hardest part will come right before we sail over the Ogden Precipice, but as long as you keep your focus, we will be perfectly safe. You will do fine." The father gingerly removed the amulet hanging from his neck, and placed it around his son's instead. "You are the ruler of our kingdom, now. It's not a very hard task, as you know. Treat the goblins fairly. They may not seem like it, but goblins are just as good of a race as Fae. Take care, son."_

_The sails were unfurled, and the king and queen waved to their sons on the shore, smiling and laughing. _

_"Bye!" The blond boy shouted loudly, waving back. The other boy stood still, his arms crossed around his body. When his parents got back, he would prove them wrong. He could control his cravings. He would be a disappointment no longer._

_Soon, the wind began to pick up. The blond boy extended his hands and created a series of flowing motions in the air. He closed his eyes and swayed to a rhythm only felt in his blood. The boat traveled smoothly down the misting river, skillfully avoiding boulders and crags which lay high above the water's level. The boy knew he was doing well, and he smiled._

_For a time, the two boys continued to stand on the stream, as one directed the boat which carried their parents, and the other sulked in silence, staring at the water in thought. The day passed slowly in the sky above them, and the kingdom went about its normal activities, cognizant of the fact that they were temporarily governed by a 204-year-old prince. 'How very, very young!' they would complain._

_But, after a time, the sulking brother began to sense something. At first, he tried to ignore it. Then he tried harder. And soon, he found himself internally straining to keep his focus on the water, but to no avail. He could feel the burning in his eyes, and the violent thrashings which compounded in his insides. There was nothing he could do. His very skin itched. He had to do it. In an instant, he turned around and saw three black chickens feasting on a bed of yellow grasses and seeds, clucking and sputtering about like the feisty birds they were. And, before he knew it, one of them was in his hands. _

_The blond boy began to sweat when he felt his brother's cravings. This was a most unwelcome and unnecessary distraction. Why did this have to happen now? But he kept his focus. Nothing was more important at the moment than his parents' safe travels. His brother's morbid appetite would have to be corrected later._

_The dark boy was trembling with hunger. This was the easiest meal he could ever ask for. A black chicken, free for the taking, without his parents around to tell him not to. Jareth would understand. He would let it slide, just this once. The boy picked off a small feather from the chicken's body. It squawked. _

_"Zanaphel, don't do that," the blond one called out distractedly._

_"But, Jareth, you know I can't help it. Just this once, I promise."_

_"Mum told me to make sure you didn't. I have to make good on her request."_

_"She'll never know," the dark one smiled, and began to lower his mouth to the neck of the bird._

_"Zanaphel!" The other boy shouted, struggling to control his focus._

_The bird began to screech in pain. It was one of the most disturbing sounds the boys had ever heard. But the dark one was now sucking the life out of the creature, and there was nothing his brother could do._

_"Please stop! Control yourself!" The prince was experiencing his own form of agony, for he was quickly losing grip on his parents' boat. But his brother would not comply. _

_"STOP!" _

_The boy's face and hands were dripping with blood, the chicken dead and twitching in his hands. _

_The prince screamed in agony when he realized what he had just done._

_He had opened his eyes._

_Instantly, he felt two lives leave his body and spread into the air, now set free from their semi-mortal flesh. The loss made him lightheaded, and he fainted, cracking his skull onto one of the rocks close to the edge of the shore._

_The brother watched in horror as the blond one fell over, and instantly knew what had occurred. He threw the chicken into the water out of anger, watching its mangled body succumb to the waters beneath. Despite his new found strength and energy harvested from the bird, there was now a whole other force of death tugging at his body. He raced towards the body of his brother, and watched as the silver blood traced a path from the blond skull to the rock, and pool in the lavender grasses beneath._

* * *

"I lost them," Jareth choked. "Zanaphel had to be selfish, just once more."

"Oh, God," Sarah cried. Tears streamed down her face.

"If only I had been stronger, nothing would have distracted me. Not even my bastard of a brother. But my weakness resulted in the loss of my parents' very lives. They were the greatest rulers the Underground had ever known."

Sarah rushed to Jareth and hugged him tightly from behind, burying her face into his warm back. He cringed when he felt her tears.

"No, my love. No need for tears. It happened so long ago."

"But… how could he have… been so selfish?" she sobbed.

"It is in a Blood Nymph's nature to be selfish, Sarah. That is why you should never trust one, no matter how alluring and understanding one may seem," he hissed.

"I want to wake up now, Jareth. Please."

"As you wish," the Goblin King sighed.

* * *

_Moving out today! It'll definitely be a couple days this time before I can update again. Thanks so much for reading. I still haven't written the big chapter I was talking about, but once I put it up, you guys will know it when you see it! Love you all!_


	19. Chapter 19: Leather and Lace

Chapter 19: Leather and Lace

Stevie Nicks's awesome duet with Don Henley.

_Taria Robotnik: Poor Jareth..._

_lolgirl: Lol. Thanks so much :)_

_Sorry for the long wait, everyone. I've spent a week already here at college- it's been amazing. But hopefully I will be able to update more frequently now that I'm on a normal schedule. Thanks for your patience! You're the best audience I could ever hope for!_

_This chapter just kind of... happened. Teehee._

* * *

First, she felt the sunlight. The warmth filled her face and danced in front of her eyelids, beckoning her to open them. Sarah's lips curved happily, and she snuggled into the mass that was holding her close. Her eyes shot open when she heard a gentle purr emanate from said mass.

Jareth was surrounding her entire form, one arm beneath her head, and the other stretched around her waist. His body was pressed against her side, and his lips gently brushed the spot just under her ear. Sarah's first instinct was to push him away, but the memories from her dream came back to her in a rush. She lifted her free arm, his hand moving to caress her hip possessively, and Sarah stroked his hair. Jareth exhaled, his breath tickling her neck.

"Your gentleness brings me to tears, darling," he spoke into her ear.

The two adjusted themselves into an embrace, and Sarah began to tremble.

"Do you fear me just now?"

"No," she said, struggling against the tightening of her jaw.

Jareth chuckled lightly, and held her closer. "Be still. I will do nothing to compromise your present state."

"My present state?" her teeth chattered.

Jareth lifted his head and ran his lips across hers. "Be still," he said again.

Her body filled with warmth, and she relaxed into his embrace. He began to purr once more. Sarah opened her mouth to speak, but then remembered that Zanaphel might be listening to them. She looked directly into Jareth's eyes and tried to 'speak' again, using the same wavelength they shared to communicate.

_What do you need to do in order to destroy him?_ she asked.

Jareth's lips tightened across his teeth as he hissed.

_Must we think of him now, precious?_

_Yes_, Sarah said, her eyes narrowing. _I don't want us to be hindered by his existence._

Jareth's face relaxed as he considered her inquiry. He supposed that a plan would need to be formed as soon as possible, for Sarah was becoming increasingly irresistible as the seconds passed. But, in the meantime, he supposed he should test Sarah first, and see just how far she was willing to go… Jareth needed to be certain in the fact that she would be his, in the end. But he had to be careful. Extremely careful.

He averted his eyes for a moment, as if preparing himself to answer her question. Sarah's eyes never left his face; he could feel her pulse quicken in anticipation. This, in and of itself, was a turn on. Suddenly, Jareth's eyes flicked back to her pretty face, and he cracked a wide grin.

_In my culture, a couple drawn together by the sacred bonds of love must prove themselves to each other before they are allowed to become engaged. Once I know how truly you care for me- and once you realize how much I care for you- then I will be more than free to rid my brother of his semi-mortal flesh._

Jareth grinned triumphantly. Sarah had no way out of this one. She raised a hand to slap him, but he was too quick; he pinned both her arms to the bed in an instant, and moved his face quite close to hers. Sarah's breathing became unsteady as her lungs filled with his scent.

_Tsk, tsk. You misunderstand me. Your chastity is not at stake here. But everything else is._

He quickly moved from the bed and suggestively spread himself out on the ceiling. Jareth's eyes blazed, causing Sarah to shiver.

"You have no power over me," she whispered.

"Much too late for that one, love. You cannot possibly find a way out this time."

"But-"

"Lovely, sweet Sarah. You are my heart's delight. And you cannot deny that I happen to be yours as well." The palpable smugness in his voice procured a most frustrated groan from Sarah's throat.

"No, I suppose I can't deny it. Especially not after that dream…" she looked up at him. "And I suppose you have more than plenty of excuses for your selfishness, brutality, and confusing emotional boundaries."

Jareth crossed his arms and waited.

"But I don't quite understand what else you could possibly want from me. To be honest, at this moment, I would give anything to be…" she stopped speaking, and opened her mind's mouth instead.

_Your bride._

In a split second, she was back on the bed, pinned down and unable to breathe.

_Do you truly understand what you are saying?_ he hissed.

_Naturally_, she smirked.

Jareth bit his lip. Why did this still feel so wrong, somehow? They wanted each other, that was for certain. He was doing everything in his power now to restrain himself. And it must have been taking Sarah a lot to keep herself from giving in to his not-so-subtle advances. But, emotionally, she was still not quite there. In order for them to be properly engaged, Sarah would need to understand the whole spectrum of things. He would need to open up to her. Jareth, the smug and pompous Goblin King, would need to force himself to become vulnerable for his desired bride.

_I know what I have to do for you, love. In order for you to see how much I want you to trust me, I need to… open up, and be completely honest_.

Sarah's eyebrows raised in curiosity. _That is what I've been wanting all along_.

_I know_, Jareth sighed. _And I wish I had told you, long before I decided to make a mess of things. Will you… accept this offer?_

She searched his eyes for any hint of jest, or laughter, or untruthfulness- but she could find none.

_Yes_, Sarah nodded.


	20. Chapter 20: Soul Meets Body

Chapter 20: Soul Meets Body

_Song by Death Cab for Cutie._

* * *

Jareth left the bed once more and positioned himself next to the large glass doors, staring out into the waning sunlight, stroking his chin in thought. Sarah adjusted her nightgown and rolled over, nestling herself into the soft pillows that lay neath her head.

"It was always your destiny to be my Queen, Sarah."

Her eyes widened, and she slowly sat up.

"Of course, you didn't know it. I barely had an idea of it myself. But your unique spirit displayed in the Labyrinth gave me a hint that you might possibly be the One. Had I known beforehand, I would have treated you a bit differently," Jareth sighed.

"But… I was still so young, then. Isn't that a bit too early to tell?"

"Not in this world, it isn't. But I still wasn't certain. All I knew was, once you had defeated my Labyrinth, I could only hope that one day you would remember my plea, and me. I could only hope that you would return," Jareth left the window and crossed his arms. "In the meanwhile, I went completely bonkers."

"So I've heard," Sarah smiled.

"I've never had a Queen before," he continued. "And I was never taught the courtship rituals in my youth. My parents were lost before they could tell me. I had to rely on the old stories and legends instead. Those are the only references I used when attempting to figure out the best way to… seduce you," he grinned.

Sarah rolled her eyes.

"In the past, the heirs to the throne won their 'mates' before they became King or Queen. But, due to the tragic circumstances, I've had to wait much, much longer. I tried searching high and low for a girl with enough determination and imagination to even come close to equaling my own. And, once I found you," Jareth glanced at the young lady perched atop the crumpled bedsheets, "I knew you were, and are, the best I could ever hope for. Your time in the Labyrinth didn't quite go according to plan, however, so I had to change the plans completely, and risk losing you forever."

The girl was frozen in thought upon the bed. Her eyes darted back and forth as the information sank in. It made sense, and now she felt terribly.

"I had acted so selfishly towards you, that I wasn't expecting you would ever ask for me again. I almost started making plans for a transferal of the crown," he smiled sadly. "But my loyal subjects encouraged me, and aided in the renewal of my kingdom. They all, in their own ways, haven't allowed me to give up. And I am forever in their debt," Jareth strode across the room and picked a small flower from the wall.

Sarah stared at his back for a moment, then found herself following his footsteps and standing behind him.

"I can't think of anything to say," she whispered.

He glanced over his shoulder at her, and smirked.

"There's more, dear child. Might I explain to you how these things are typically supposed to go?"

"What?"

Jareth turned around to face her, and brushed a few strands of hair from her forehead. "Traditionally, a Goblin Prince or Princess will seduce their chosen mate, come close to a kiss, then propose, if the chosen One is in the most proper state of transfixion. Most always, the human will reply in the affirmative, and a kiss will seal the agreement. But I couldn't allow myself to do that to you, sweetheart," he cupped her chin. "I want you to love me in truth, not just in the midst of seduction. I know that your heart works differently than most others. You are beautiful, special, and desirable. But your soul has become so downtrodden and bruised by human sentimentality that it affected me in the most profound of ways. I was angry. In my anger, I thought it best to place you in the Labyrinth again, allowing me more time to observe you and give you more time to figure things out, for I knew you would eventually," Jareth kissed her forehead. "And I knew that, once you saw the memorial for my parents, you would wonder why I have no Queen, and you would come to the realization. It worked, smart girl."

"Yes, it did. And, well, you needn't worry about accidentally seducing me anymore," Sarah pursed her lips and looked up at him.

Jareth raised an eyebrow. "Why is that?"

"Because," she broke out into a beautiful grin. "I love you already."

For a moment, Jareth could hardly breathe. She had said it. She had told him, out of her own free will, that she loved him. His anti-plan had worked. True love really could exist in this upside-down world.

"That is all the proof I need," he said.

The two embraced tightly, trying to transfer all the emotions they held for each other through the connection of body against body, two worlds entwined, never wanting to separate ever again. The moment was perfect. Sarah wanted, more than anything, to kiss him, to seal their fate, and to dedicate herself to his happiness. Jareth felt the same, but he knew what had to come first.

And he dreaded it.

"My darling, I wish more than anything to stay like this forever…"

"I don't," Sarah smirked, her eyes dilated with a fresh sparkle of emerald green.

Jareth stepped back and looked at her, first in confusion, then in amusement. It was painfully obvious. She wanted more of him than just _this_.

"Truly, you are worthy of being my Goblin Queen," he husked, gazing at her admiringly.

Sarah blushed. His eyes could be so cruel…

"Despite any minor differences in age, experience, and race, you and I are equals, in terms of the heart, mind, and soul. But now, Sarah, we must resolve the one hindrance that stands between us-"

"Would that be me, good brother?" Zanaphel emerged from the shadows. Sarah screamed. His body was blackened from the flames Jareth had defeated him with. Parts of his bones were showing through in different places. Half of his face had been melted away. The Blood Nymph now appeared to be, as he always was inside, walking dead.

"Indeed," Jareth said, holding Sarah protectively in his arms once more.

"Then bring it on, glittery bastard. I'm not afraid of you and your parlour tricks. The girl's gonna be mine, in the end. And you will be forever lost in the Ages, eternally wallowing in cowardice and self-pity. You're a pathetic excuse for a Goblin King, Jareth. Just admit it," the nymph spewed, hatred flowing through every syllable he uttered.

"You're a pathetic excuse for a Goblin King's adversary," Jareth sneered, stroking Sarah's hair and doing everything in his power not to tear his brother to shreds before her eyes. "But I suppose we all have our faults, don't we?"

"Correct. Though, your faults just happen to be a lot more… mortal."

Zanaphel extended his hand, and with a turn of his wrist, sucked Sarah from Jareth's grasp and flung her to the floor. All of the flowers in the room immediately browned and died, quickly fading into a blackness that Sarah couldn't comprehend. Her head was spinning. The grass beneath her was no longer green, but gray and crackling. She thought she could smell a brushfire from a ways away. Sarah was immediately scooped up into Jareth's arms once more, his cape winded around her, and his face drawn with fury and incomprehensible malice. She could hear Zanaphel cackling dryly.

"See what I mean?"

"She is not a fault, you wraith. She is so much more of a perfection than a beast like you could ever realize," Jareth's voice was low and strained.

"I wasn't referring to herself, asshole. I was referring to the fact that you love her like a human would. That your emotions and feelings are like a mortal's. That your love for her could, and will, lead to your imminent demise," Zanaphel hissed, approaching his brother confidently. The closer he came, the stronger he smelled of brushfire. Sarah coughed.

"Come no closer, lest you be killed instantly."

"Ooh, I'm so terribly frightened. What are ya gonna do, throw another fireball at me? My skin will melt off a bit, my flesh will burn and rot, but I will still be alive."

"You were never alive, Zanaphel. You died the day you were born."

"Ouch," the Blood Nymh grinned, baring his decaying black teeth.

"Please, just leave us be…" Sarah whimpered into Jareth's chest. She was so tired. She just wanted this all to be over. She just wanted to love.

"Sarah, Sarah," the thin one sighed. "Don't you see? In your eyes, I'm the villain, and Mr. Glitterpants here is the hero. But, in reality, he and I are equals. I'm just as good as he is, and he is just as bad as I am."

She raised her head. "What?"

"Enough of this," Jareth put her down and extended his hands towards his brother. His fingertips flexed and curled, and he chanted a strange sort of song, almost beautiful in its execution, but terrifying in its tone.

In the midst of this, Zanaphel was frowning, frozen in his place. "You wouldn't."

Jareth hissed and smiled in the same instant. "Wouldn't I? You underestimated me, brother. And you won't have the chance to do it again."

* * *

_I'll try to update again soon :)_


	21. Chapter 21: Your Decision

Chapter 21: Your Decision

_From Alice in Chains._

_I just want to take this space and thank you all for your patience. Haha. I've been so terribly busy here at college, that my imagination has been sidelined. A few nights ago I began to write this chapter, and typically these chapters come easy to me. But I had horrid writer's block, and this always gives me a bit of anxiety. To be short, I was pissed. I love this story and everything, but I fear it's getting a bit more complicated to handle than I had bargained for._

_So, these chapters won't be coming as quickly as they did over the summer, when my imagination was obviously a bit more free to roam about in my mind. But this should be beneficial to the story quality itself, because I will be planning it out more in advance (to be quite honest, I've had no idea where the story was going from chapter to chapter. The thing is writing itself. And Jareth doesn't have too much time on his hands to relay it to me, either- the irony being that he can control time anyway. Thanks, man.) So, yeah._

_Thanks so much for all of your support. Here we go!_

* * *

She watched closely as the man's remaining skin began to bubble up from the inside. He stood frozen in place, the scarlet-tinted eyes darting every-which-way out of fear and confusion. Sarah wondered why he did nothing to stop Jareth's spell… not that she wanted him to. Yet, she found it odd that the nymph had suddenly changed his demeanor, as if the spell was too strong to overcome, as if he finally realized he would not win. As if he had given up. She wondered if he had.

* * *

Jareth's chanting was a gentle murmur, expelling the magic from his lips in the tenderest syllables utterable. His hands were beginning to shake; this spell had not been used in a long time, and his body was not accustomed to the power it took to cast it. But Jareth knew he had to see his brother dead before he could relax- there was no time to waste, and although he wished Sarah did not have to witness it, it had to be done. She needed to understand what type of world she would be living in- and who exactly she was intending to wed.

Jareth could see the expression in his brother's eyes. Had he truly not been expecting this? It was almost too good to believe.

* * *

The seconds seemed as if to pass by in hours. The picture itself was almost frozen in its stance- Jareth with his arms outstretched, his lips moving ever-so-slightly- Zanaphel, still and unwavering in his place- and Sarah, hiding behind her fiancee's cloak, but staring into his brother's eyes. The more she stared, the more her heart rate seemed to slow, until she realized she was holding her breath for much too long. Sarah took a deep breath and heaved a sigh. Jareth jerked slightly.

"Not much longer, precious," he whispered.

Sarah bit her lip and continued to stare at the Blood Nymph. His scarlet eyes had faded to a shade of dusty rose, and his jaw was slackened. He really had given up.

A small voice in the back of her mind wanted to give him a second chance. No, she thought. He doesn't deserve one. He is evil.

But then she remembered what he had told her a while before: how the two were both equally good and evil. What exactly did that mean? Was there something Jareth still had not revealed to her? The curiosity was beginning to sour her mouth. Something had to be done- though he was a vile and seething cad, Zanaphel needed to be given another chance. The idea that he would die in such a helpless manner was almost too much for her to take.

Then, Jareth's boyhood tale settled itself into the center of her skull- the imagery of him laying in the grass, bleeding and helpless as well. Zanaphel had helped him heal, obviously. They had taken care of each other. They had, somehow, gotten along. Who was to say they couldn't again?

Sarah knew she had to create some kind of diversion- maybe Zanaphel would be able to regain a bit of his strength back, and the fight could at least be more fair. But what could she do?

Before she could stop herself, Sarah moved closer to Jareth, then placed a hand on his back. He instantly tensed. It was working.

"Not now, dear," he said over his shoulder.

The pressure from her hand increased.

"What are you doing?…"

"I… I can't take this any longer, Jareth," Sarah whispered, half-lying, but telling the truth in its double meaning.

"I'm so very close-"

"You don't understand. None of this matters. This is a silly fight between you and your brother. The important thing is for us to be together."

Jareth turned to the side, one hand still outstretched to his brother. His keen eyes searched her face for meaning. Sarah prayed that she looked convincing.

"I suppose I don't understand. And I would like for you to explain why this must be discussed now, of all the times and places," Jareth said, suspicion coating his voice.

Sarah gulped. This is really, really lame, she thought, but I only have one shot.

She focused on his eyes, truly, deeply, as best as circumstances would allow. She tried drawing him in as best as she could. He moved a bit closer, and she wrapped her arms around his neck, drawing him in, and kissing his cheek.

Sarah felt him shudder. It had worked.

His powers were drained, and his eyes rolled about in his head- but his teeth were gritted, and Sarah could hear the faintest of growls begin to build deep inside his chest. She quickly looked over to Zanaphel, but did a double-take and instantly paled.

He was gone.

* * *

_ButterflyOnTheWall: I'm so glad you're enjoying it. That means a lot, thank you :)_

_Guest: Haha! Good to hear! Hope you liked this one._

_Next one will be up within the next week. I promise. Take care!_


	22. Chapter 22: Alone In This Together

Chapter 22: Alone In This Together

_By Star Anna and the Laughing Dogs._

_PurpleIvy: thank you so much for pointing that out. It's explained in this chapter :) And I'm glad you like it._

_xUndergroundWriterx: It just means more work for Jareth... lol. :)_

* * *

Where in hell had he gone? Wasn't he too weak from the spell to move?

Sarah's head was spinning with confusion, but she didn't have too much time to dwell on it. Jareth gripped her shoulders tightly and forced her to look up at him. His eyes were raging with blackness, and his breathing was ragged and uneven. Shivers darted straight up Sarah's spine. What had just happened?

"What…did…you…do?" Jareth snarled. His grip did not loosen, and Sarah felt her arms begin to tingle from lack of bloodflow.

"I…"

"I had him there. He was… right there. Almost dead. You… shouldn't have done that…"

"But wasn't he… you… He was so helpless…"

Jareth's eyebrows shot up.

"You pitied him. For one instant, you pitied him, didn't you?"

Sarah felt tears prick her eyes, but she blinked them away. "The fight w-was unfair," she stammered.

"Do you know what you've done? Do you understand… no. Of course you don't. You barely understand anything," Jareth said, his voice low, strained, lined with frustration.

"What are you talking about, Jareth?" Her eyes widened.

The Goblin King gritted his teeth and somewhat loosened his grip on her shoulders, but intensified his eye contact.

"By pitying him, dear child, you gave him the means to defeat my spell. Damn you," he muttered, and stepped away from her, shaking his head. Sarah couldn't bear the way he was looking at her then. His gaze was disappointed in flavor, but laced in shame.

"Well… how was I supposed to know? I still barely know anything about this world at all! It's not FAIR!" she shouted.

Jareth tilted his head, smirking without any hint of mirth. "Precisely."

"But it… it…" Sarah couldn't manage to speak. Her heart hurt too much.

"You used the affection I have for you and turned it against me. Why?"

Sarah stood silently for a while. Everything in her vision was darkening, swirling, spinning madly. Her head was filled with questions, and yet, she could barely think. Where had that sudden impulse come from? Think, Sarah, think. She closed her eyes, and tried to remember looking at Zanaphel, and how he had been looking at her… wait. Yes. For the final few minutes, they had both been staring at each gaze of his had been mystifying- he had looked both resigned and focused. Sarah's mouth fell open. That would explain it...

"J-Jareth," she whispered.

He sighed heavily, and crossed his arms. "Yes?"

"What powers does Zanaphel have exactly?"

He looked at her with a hint of confusion, but Jareth's eyes widened, and he inhaled quickly. "Damn..."

"Can he… control minds?" Sarah's brows knit together, and she glared at him.

"To an extent," Jareth replied simply, shaking his head again, this time out of disbelief. "But only if the victim's mind is open to it."

"But I didn't want him to be set free! I wanted him dead! How could my mind have been open to that?"

Jareth walked towards her, bridging the gap of tension between them. His voice changed from one of disbelief and anger to one of tenderness. "Because you are still pure of heart, dear girl. You have an uncanny sense of right and wrong. Do you remember that bit in your storybook about the Goblin King granting the girl certain powers?"

Sarah's face relaxed to one of resignation. "Of course."

"A heightened pureness of heart is one of them. And I suppose it's about time you get to know the others as well."

"But why didn't you tell me all of this before? Had I known that-"

"I wanted to wait. To be honest, Sarah, you being here, as an older and more mature young woman, has caught me completely off guard. In fact, I've been infinitely more distracted by you than I was the first time you came," one side of his mouth raised in the gentlest of gestures. "Your 'certain powers' are a bit more dangerous to me now than they used to be. And once you know what they are, and how to use them…" he raised an eyebrow and smiled.

Sarah attempted to remain serious, but ended up cracking a small grin as well. "Unfortunately, I think I know exactly what you're talking about. But that's still not good enough of a reason, Jareth. I need to know these things, especially if we're to be… you know," she said.

He continued to look at her intently. "It seems I have faltered in my sense of judgment, love. I do apologize. You are ready, after all."

Sarah stood taller with that comment. "You should have known that from the moment I got here."

Jareth's nose crinkled up as he smiled. "Now, as much as I'd love to stay here and flatter your pride, there are some pressing matters that I… we must attend to. Yes?"

She frowned. "Unfortunately."

"It seems that this really isn't entirely your fault…"

"It's not my fault at all!"

"Yes… well. We can argue that point later. But, in the meantime, my brother had much explaining to do. Because he is a Blood Nymph, I cannot track his every move like I might be able to otherwise. He is quite adept at closing his mind…" Jareth muttered.

"So, what do we do?"

He looked at her objectively, arms crossed and eyebrow arched upwards in thought.

Sarah shifted under his gaze. "What?"

Jareth bit his lip. "Would you be terribly opposed to… a bit of a set-up?"

She pouted at first, but after a minute of thinking, realized that it might be the only possible way to draw Zanaphel back.

"Not at all. What should I do?"

* * *

Zanaphel stood in front of the large gilded mirror positioned close to his bed. A few pale women were lounging here and there, moaning uncomfortably and twisting about as if irritated by some invisible force. The man ran his white fingers over his face, as the lost flesh slowly grew back over the exposed bones, and the burned skin healed itself.

"That girl…" he sighed to himself.

One of the women began to moan louder, her face twisting in pain. "My… lord…" she cried.

Zanaphel quickly turned away from the mirror and hissed at her. "Quiet, Elena. It will soon be over. The pain is worth the prize."

A tear escaped the woman's pale blue eyes. "I don't… want to be…"

"I said QUIET," he shouted, slapping her across the face. She cried out and recoiled away from him, not daring to say another word.

The man turned to take another look in the mirror when he stopped suddenly.

The scent. That was her scent. Her sweet, sweet blood was present in his castle. But why?

In an instant, the almost-healed nymph arrived in his throne room, quickly searching every inch of the space for the girl. Her scent was terribly strong, but where was she? Then, he saw a form draped in dark purple crouched down behind his throne. Zanaphel rolled his eyes and slowly strode towards the extravagant chair. Once he was right beside it, he listened to her terrified breathing patterns. Her blood was racing, and he couldn't handle it anymore. The man peered around the corner and locked eyes with the trembling raven-haired child.

"Found you," he grinned.


	23. Chapter 23: You Talk Way Too Much

Chapter 23: You Talk Way Too Much

_Catchy song by The Strokes._

_Ree923: Haha! They're the easiest things to end a chapter with, however. ^-^_

_Taria Robotnik: Hmm?_

_lolgirl: So very glad you like it!_

_Hi everyone. This chapter's just another brick in the wall. Another thread in the tapestry. Another piece to this ever-increasing puzzle of intimate intricacies that will **definitely** be worked out, eventually. This chapter is told from Zanaphel's perspective, not from Sarah's. _

_Remember: everything is not what it seems here :)_

_P.S: If any of you haven't checked out Pika-la-Cynique's adorably awesome drawings and cartoons on deviantart, please do. Her work is entertaining and inspiring. I love her so much! She also wrote/is still writing a completely gorgeous fanfic on here that stemmed from a few of her drawings- to be honest, I've never shipped J/S any harder ;)_

* * *

The nymph stared at the young girl in amusement. The naked purity in her face was a surprisingly attractive feature...

"Zanaphel," she said simply.

He raised an eyebrow. She wasn't cowering before him, or yelling, or anything. This had to be a trick of some kind.

"Yes, child?"

The girl stood up, revealing the dark purple cloth to be in the form of a simple evening gown. Her hair was softly tousled and decorated with purple ribbon and netting.

"I wished to… talk to you," Sarah said, her voice low and serious. Zanaphel could instantly tell that she was hiding something. This was most certainly a trick, involving Jareth, to be sure. But that didn't mean he couldn't have fun while playing along. His face turned serious as well.

"I see, child, I see. Why not rest upon my throne while I find you a spot of tea, hmm? Or would a glass of wine suit you better?"

"I won't have anything of the sort, thank you," she said determinedly, setting herself down onto the throne.

"Ah. Too bad, then. Just attempting to be hospitable, especially for someone dressed so formally, such as yourself," the thin man gestured to the dress, not-so-subtly eyeing the attractive silhouette it provided for his imagination.

"Thank you just the same. See, I wanted to ask-"

"Ssh, relax a little, Sarah. Your glittery voyeur isn't around to pester you here. There's no need for all the stiff-business," Zanaphel smirked quickly.

Sarah bit her lip again. Zanaphel knew he was frustrating her every effort to say what she came to.

"Jareth has been most appropriate towards me, sir-"

"Oh, has he, now? That's a shock," he scoffed, pouring himself a tumbler of whiskey.

Sarah's heart rate increased. "What… what are you talking about?"

The man turned around in mock surprise. "You mean, he hasn't told you about the others?"

"Others?…You're lying."

"Am I?" He smiled. "Haven't you ever wondered how he learned to be ever-so-seductive, dear child?"

"He learned about it through legends and-"

"Pssh, you can't learn terribly much about sexual prowess through books, love. You can retain the technicalities of the thing, yes, but the feelings, the actions…" Zanaphel lowered his gaze towards the cut of Sarah's dress again. "The perfection of such matters can only be attained through practice."

He attempted to hide the amusement that bubbled up inside him as he watched Sarah's face twitch in confusion.

"Yes, but…"

"Oh, you thought you were the only one, didn't you? Whoops. Sorry," the nymph said flatly.

For a moment, the girl's body seemed to swirl in a mix of anger, frustration, and pain. But she soon released herself from it, standing up from the throne and staring down at Zanaphel with wide eyes.

"I didn't come to discuss such matters with you."

"Oh, no?"

"No. I want to know what happened during the fight. How did you get away?"

A large grin presented itself on the Blood Nymph's sallow face. "Curious, simple child. You know already. His Majesty helpfully informed you of my ability to read and control the human mind, which explains why on earth you even dared to show up in my godforsaken castle."

"Wrong. He said that you can only control minds if the people are open to it. But I wasn't open to it. I wanted you dead."

"Do you still want me dead, love?" the man said softly.

Sarah opened her mouth to speak, then shut it quickly.

"Indeed, you do not. Hence, me being here right now, and you being sent here by that pompous ass to create some sort of diversion or , you told him you still want me dead, which was an outright lie from the beginning."

"It was NOT!" Sarah shouted, gripping the velvet armrests of the throne as she continued to stand, looking down at him. "How dare you twist my thoughts like that?"

"How dare I? Sarah, you're not the Goblin Queen just yet."

She blanched and sat back down.

"Yes, I know you're engaged to him. And it makes me more than bloody angry, for you are far too delicious to be wasted on Mr. Skinny Glitter-ass," he smirked. "I can only imagine ravaging you myself."

"Sir, that is NOT-"

"-Appropriate talk, I know, I know. Your mind is almost too easy to read, cherub." He casually took another sip of the whiskey and set the cup down on a side-table decorated with dark blue roses. "Nonetheless, you are most delightfully tempting, and believe me when I say that I could easily take you this very instant." His grin faded. "Of course, I won't."

"You're a cad. I don't understand you. One minute, you seemed like a helpless, unfortunate being that just needed to be understood, yet now…" Sarah gestured to him.

"Sound familiar?" Zanaphel said pointedly. "My brother and I are more similar than he makes it seem."

"He… said he needed to kill you, to…"

"He's always 'needed to kill me' at one time or another. To be honest, I think he's just sick of the competition."

"B-but you're a vampire!"

Zanaphel looked legitimately offended. "I am most certainly NOT one of those despicable creatures. My kind is incredibly superior to such an-" he swallowed the last bit of his drink, "uncontrollable race."

Sarah was now quite stiff in her seat, eyes blank and hands curled into tight fists.

"You don't know what to believe anymore, do you? Jareth's always been a wonderful actor," the pale man commented.

The girl remained silent, her lower lip protruding in intense thought.

"I must admit, I'm surprised you're thinking so hard about all of this. The tales I heard of you said how very impulsive yet determined you are."

Sarah opened her mouth, inhaling deeply. "He and I aren't technically engaged, yet," she sighed. "We haven't kissed."

Zanaphel's thin eyebrows shot up in genuine surprise. "I see. He really must want to be with you, then, in order to take things so slowly."

"I've only been here for three days!" she exclaimed.

"Your point?"

Those lovely emerald eyes widened even more than before, and she slunk backwards into the chair, visibly shaking and blushing all at once.

"I don't believe you. I refuse to believe you. He's not like that."

"And yet, you wouldn't know, would you? You still barely know him at all. Though, of course, everyone typically gets to know their mates after they are married, in this place."

Sarah's nostrils flared. "I… I'm not ready to be a bride," she whispered ever-so-softly.

Zanaphel's attention peaked. "What was that?"

"I… I love him," she continued, "And I think I trust him… I mean, I'm pretty sure I trust him… I think," her dark eyebrows drew together.

The nymph watched her silently. Her whole speel was almost entertaining.

"…damn it," the girl finally let her breath out with a whoosh, and placed her face in her hands.

"Guess you need to find that out for yourself, hmm? Tell you what," Zanaphel approached the throne and slightly bowed his head to her out of respect. "I will leave you and His Highness completely alone for three more days, and in that time you will have the chance to figure out what he's really like. If you find that he's your bloody knight-in-shining-armor, by all means, make the bastard happy. But, if you happen to be dissatisfied," his voice lowered, the rose-colored eyes turning a bloody shade of scarlet, "I can make you forget it all."

Sarah blinked. "…are you serious?"

"Scout's honor," the man cheekily made an x shape across his heart.

"I really do love him," the girl insisted.

The man stepped back. "Of course you do, sweetheart, of course you do. Now, run along. Go back to the king. Make sweet love to him and figure out what the hell is going on with you two. I have more important things to attend to..." the man bowed, departing the large throne room abruptly. Sarah was left frozen in the chair, unable to breathe or think clearly. What she did not see was the incredibly devious grin that spread taut between his white cheeks as he left.

"Like making your blood mine," he hissed.


	24. Chapter 24: Let You Down

Chapter 24: Let You Down

_Angsty Jareth song by Three Days Grace._

_Taria Robotnik: Indeed._

* * *

Did it always feel like this?

Loving someone?

Trying to straighten out all of the bumps in the road, separating the truth from the lies?

* * *

Jareth stood frozen in his stance, staring at the expression on Sarah's face. Neither of them had spoken for quite a while, and, though he had all the time in the world, he was starting to get nervous.

She had allowed him to hold her hand while they transported back to his castle. And she had allowed him to touch her hair. But Sarah had refused to make eye contact.

Jareth wasn't sure what he could say to reassure her. He didn't know what he could do. He certainly hadn't wanted her to find out about his past like this. But it was ultimately his fault for not anticipating the situation in the first place.

The only things he could think to say sounded like accusations: 'Do you actually believe him?' was one. 'Why did you lie to me?' was another. And 'why can't you trust me?' was the third. But, amazingly, the man held his tongue.

In truth, Jareth knew he couldn't blame her. Not one bit. His brother had been very fair in saying they were equal on more than a few planes of personage. But, as usual, he had gone too far. Now, Sarah didn't know who to believe.

Once again, everything was a mess. The Goblin King was beginning to think that the entire thing was doomed. He could not force her to love him. He could not be like he was before; manipulative, suggestive, egotistical, ignorant. The entire situation was much more grave than he had ever anticipated. But Jareth had absolutely no idea as to how to fix it.

Sarah's glazed eyes were of no help, either. She simply stayed still, sitting on his throne. Every time a stray goblin had dared to barge in on them, Jareth had given them a swift kick in the rear and sent them far away.

Occasionally her lips would quiver or twist in thought; sometimes a tear would fall onto her lap. Her hands were clasped tightly together, which produced the occasional whiteness about her knuckles. He knew that she was weighing all of her options with the utmost care and thought, which pained him but also made him proud. Sarah had truly grown into a terribly lovely young woman… a young woman his entire animalistic, domineering self wished to possess.

But the Goblin King's brow creased at such a thought. She deserved much more than a jealous, scheming brat as a husband. And he knew this full well; every soft curve of her body cried out to be caressed by gentleness. Her rose-petal lips screamed for sweet kisses. And Sarah's hair… Jareth could not remember how many times he had imagined himself burying his face into her ebony tresses.

God, such a romantic bastard.

He sighed heavily, knowing it was all too true. But the outside-ness of him did not wish to respond. His body was covered in shadows, the shadows he had cast for himself to hide in.

Though it seemed the most cliche fact out of all cliche facts to ever exist in such a world as his, Jareth knew that only in the light of Sarah's pure love could he be released from the shadows.

He was lounging away in a dark corner of the throne room, playing with a few crystals and simultaneously staring up at the sky. The uncomfortable feeling, the aching pain, was beginning to eat away at his chest. The man's jaw tightened considerably, and he closed his eyes.

"Sarah…"

Instantly, the air changed. Jareth heard the heavy intake of a breath, and then an equally heavy sigh.

"Yes?"

He gritted his teeth. The hurt in her voice was sickeningly palpable. Where was he going with this exactly?

Taking one of his crystals, Jareth held it up to his mouth, breathing gently into it, coloring the crystal a deep blue.

"Accept this. Do not push it away."

The sphere floated up from his gloved hand and traveled down to the throne, settling itself in front of Sarah's face. Reluctantly, she opened up her hands and caught the crystal between her pale palms

He waited a few moments as she peered into its depths, Sarah's eyes alight with colors. As the seconds passed, her interest appeared to increase, until she finally looked up at him in a daze.

"Thank… you," she said.

"To tell you the completely honest truth, since that seems to be what you most desire from me… my brother's death is not necessary," Jareth raised his head to peer down at her. "But it is what I most desire. Why? Because that is the way my world works here. No matter how backwards that may seem to you, my dear, that fact is one of the few things your determined spirit cannot change."

Sarah's eyebrows drew together, and she slouched backwards into the throne.

"I suppose not," she conceded. "But that doesn't mean I should stop trying."

Jareth's nostrils flared, but he said nothing.

The light was slowly returning into her eyes. "Who were they, Jareth? Who were the others? Maybe I have been wrong in overreacting. Maybe you have an explanation…"

"Indeed, I do," Jareth supernaturally descended from the high ledge he had been perched upon, and approached her confidently. "Would you care to listen? Or will you continue to judge me with your cruelest of eyes, pet?"

Sarah blinked and looked away, nodding.

"Not that I mind," Jareth said softly.

She turned her head back to him, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear.

"Please," she said.


	25. Chapter 25: Room for Happiness

Chapter 25: Room for Happiness

_The song by Kaskade, featuring Skylar Grey (ICE mix)._

_Taria Robotnik: Sarah's a smart girl. She's learning. :)_

_Queen BEE 16: Your review made me so happy when I read it! I'm so glad you like this fic. Sorry to have frustrated you lol! And sorry it took me so long to update- I typically am a bit faster than this. It's been a bit more difficult figuring out Jareth's past, so I haven't been as inspired to write..._

_So, here it is: the 25th chapter :) Enjoy, lovelies._

* * *

"The first I met when I was aged fifteen, to use human terms. The goblin populace was increasing, and the surrounding realms that had been in such good contact with my parents now held deep pity for me. They attempted to reach out and help me in any way possible, but naturally, I refused… until one day, a strange new ship came ashore, bearing magical gifts, beautiful clothing. jewels…"

Jareth's eyebrows drew together quickly.

"And a girl."

* * *

_The glittering youth approached the foreign ship cautiously. A few bedraggled, chattering goblins followed him close behind. The wind was picking up speed, forcefully puffing out the scarlet sails and sending the scent of exotic herbs and spices straight up the young prince's nostrils. The crew of the ship was dressed in the brightest of cloaks and harem pants, their feet bare, their jewelry made of gold bells and pearl droplets. The boy was both entranced and afraid; even more so when a veiled shadow descended from the deck of the ship and landed gently on the lavender grass._

_"Who are you? Why have you come here?" the youth shouted over the waves._

_He did not get an answer until the veiled form had crossed the length of ground and remained only inches from his trembling body._

_"We come bearing gifts," a dark female voice answered. "And aid in your time of need."_

_"I need nothing," the boy replied quickly. "I am the ruler of this realm. This entire world answers to me."_

_The female remained still for a moment, then removed her veil. "And so it shall still."_

_The prince's heart skipped, and his breath could not be found. The young woman had deep amber eyes, heavily shadowed by ebony lashes. Her skin was the color of desert sand, and her hair flowed like the waves of the tide during a hurricane._

_Seeing that the youth was at a loss for words, the woman smiled. "I am Nyega Lili, Princess of the Realm of Crystal Dreams." She conjured a transparent sphere into her right hand and held it up for his inspection. "I believe we share a few things in common. My crew and I have traveled for many a month to find you, Goblin Prince. Despite your refusal for help, we came anyway." Her smile widened._

_"How long will you stay?" The boy inquired, blushing too deeply to keep his eyes on the woman's._

_"Until we are no longer of use to you, child."_

_He looked back into the princess' golden gaze. Despite her use of the word, the woman was not looking at him as if she thought him a child. In fact, she seemed to be viewing him as an equal._

_"Very well… thank you, Princess. Please, allow me to bring you to my castle. Your crew may follow behind," the prince extended his hand, showing her the clear path to tread._

_Later in the evening, the pair shared a meal in the dining room. The boy ate cautiously, and the girl barely touched her food. The silence between them lasted for many a minute, until the woman timidly opened her lips._

_"How old are you, boy?"_

_The prince placed his silver fork down on the table and sighed. "In human years, I am fifteen, miss."_

_The lady looked deeply into his eyes, smiling gently. The boy gulped._

_"Such a young thing you are. Funny that our parents wanted us to marry," Nyega laughed nervously, dipping a spoon into her edymeil stew._

_The prince's brows raised. "They did?"_

_The girl nodded shyly, averting her gaze from his. "Part of the reason for my arrival was in hopes that you might be interested in the idea. We would have to wait a while…" she trailed off, pursing her lips._

_Jareth said nothing, picking up his fork and stabbing the prongs into a piece of minnow-weed pie. The girl was kind of pretty, he supposed. She seemed to know a lot about his world, and about the others that existed in their sphere as well. Maybe he could marry her once he was old enough…_

* * *

"What happened?" Sarah sat on the edge of the throne, enthralled in Jareth's recollection.

He exhaled heavily. "We ended up getting along perfectly. She was like the sister I never had. And a few years later, our relationship changed… things became somewhat more… intimate," his voice grew delicate.

Sarah bit her lip. "And it was too much?"

"Indeed," he nodded. "Though I couldn't have known it at the time. Her eyes were the loveliest prison cell I could have ever locked myself into." Jareth looked back at her. "Yours are not a prison cell. They do not ensnare me. They set me free."

Sarah felt her face redden. She forced herself to stare at a wall. "Tell me what happened… please."

"As you wish."

* * *

_Jareth opened his eyes slowly, staring up at his bedroom's ornate ceiling. Strong sunlight was filtering itself through the openings in the eastern wall. He yawned silently and ran a trembling hand through his mussed hair. Today was the day he would be crowned King of the Goblins. Traditionally, the whole castle would be filled to bursting with royals and commoners alike, all preparing for the celebration. Yet, not a sound could be heard anywhere today- not even by his trusted goblins. Jareth wondered what this day would be like, had his parents survived longer. The kingdom wouldn't have gone to ruin. He wouldn't have driven away all of his people. Things would be the way they had always been…_

_A figure standing in front of the middle window forced Jareth to turn his head and stare. Nyega had probably stood up just a few minutes before he'd realized her absence from his side. She was dressed in only a light gauzy robe- Jareth knew simply too well what was underneath. He slowly raised himself from the bed, approaching her with a feline grace in his stride._

_"Lili," he sighed, wrapping his pale arms around her waist and placing a kiss on her bare shoulder._

_"It is time," the woman replied stoically, her eyes boring into the bright nothingness that fell into the room._

_Jareth closed his eyes and nodded. "I know. I knew from the moment you came to bed. I could feel it in your every move, love."_

_"Then I must prepare," Nyega said loudly, shrugging him off and whisking herself out the door._

_The young man remained at the large window, heaving sighs and fighting the wetness that collected at his eyes. His fists flexed tensely, the muscles in his arms undulating with each sudden impulse they were provided. The girl had far too much passion but far too little emotion. He could not understand her, and he was sure he did not want to, either._

_Later in the day, he was crowned King- but he was the only Fae in attendance. His brother was sleeping- as he had now begun to do during the day- and the princess and her crew had already set sail for their homeland. The goblins, however, were in full celebration mode, with festivities planned to occur for the following two weeks. Jareth knew he should be overjoyed at his new title and inheritance, and busily making plans to restore his kingdom- but he couldn't bring himself to do it. All he saw in his mind was Nyega's eyes. All he saw, anywhere, was her eyes. He wondered if another set of eyes would ever take the place of hers._

_Of course, another did._

* * *

Sarah's mouth twisted. "So… no one stayed for your coronation?"

Jareth shrugged. "I had only expected as much, anyhow."

"I'm… very sorry."

He looked down at her and quirked an eyebrow. "It was some time ago, Sarah. And, besides… there was soon another girl who more than made up for the Princess' shortcomings."


	26. Chapter 26: It's Only Love

Chapter 26: It's Only Love

_Gentle little song by Stevie Nicks._

_Jane294: Goodness, thank you so much. That's the highest praise one could hope for ^-^_

_Senshi at Heart: Thank you much, love!_

_Guest: Yeah... The man never knows what hits him until he's confronted with it later..._

_Thank you all for your infinite patience. This chapter was difficult to churn out, but I pray it satisfies. I've reaches 70 followers, which I cannot believe... you all are the best. 3_

_(I've been drawing some things on my deviantart lately (my username is the same as it is here) and I'm hoping to draw out some of the scenes and characters soon... My latest one is a young Jareth; I'm thinking around the time Nyega left him. He looks pained. )_

_Also, I added my poem Winterthorn a few weeks ago... I'm thinking it may be the start of a sequel to this story. Please check it out, if you're interested! I would love your feedback!_

_Here is Chapter 26 :)_

* * *

_It was a black night in the Underground. The Goblin King's castle was aglow with floating candles and chandeliers; sparkling with profuse amounts of glitter and jewels encrusted onto every surface in sight. Seductive panels of gauze flowed from the windows in a gentle motion. Goblins, dwarves, and fae alike were drinking and dancing to their hearts' content, swirling about the immense ballroom in each others' close embraces. It was a night of celebration, in honor of Jareth's tenth year as Goblin King. He was beginning to show signs of maturity, as was made plain by both the haughty, commanding manner in which he carried himself, and in the way he dressed. Fae had come from all distances to celebrate the momentous occasion, and to get a glimpse at this young, handsome ruler who had inherited the entire Underground._

_It was amusing enough to watch the party dance, but Jareth was also entertaining himself by spying on every female fae in the ballroom- memorizing their features, reading their lips, even guessing what could possibly be under all those layers of flouncy skirts each woman wore. As if he did not know…_

_But Jareth was not much in the mood for dancing. In fact, he found it to be rather dull, unless he could use the thing to his advantage. There had been many a point in the evening where a proud parent had presented their rosy-cheeked daughter to him; he would smile crookedly, look her up and down, wink, and look away. But he would never accept an offer to dance. Jareth was still burned. He did not want to get… close to a woman anytime soon. It would be almost too painful; the memories were still freshly ground into his bones._

_Just when he was to announce his retirement for the evening, a glitter of blue caught Jareth's eye, and he froze in his throne. A young human woman had suddenly appeared in the doorway, and many of the party guests had stopped their revelry to stare. Her skin could only be described as in the shade of the moon; the dress she wore was the deepest of blue colors, and it hugged her frame instead of hiding it. Jareth felt his insides tremble, but he raised himself from his throne and descended to the dance floor, holding her sea-glass gaze without blinking. Her neck bore a simple pearl-drop necklace, with matching earrings set into her earlobes. Jareth swept through the crowd slowly, trying to hide his building anticipation. The woman stood with poise, but he could tell her confidence was shrinking with every step he took. He finally reached her, bowing in a grand fashion and taking her small gloved hand to kiss it tenderly. _

_"Dear child, what brings you here to my celebration?" Jareth inquired._

_The woman curtsied in a somewhat awkward manner, and nervously looked down at her hands. "I know not, my lord."_

_"How curious it is that you should not know, for the only way humans find themselves here is when they wish it to happen."_

_"Indeed, I am well aware, my lord. I…" The girl bit her lip and wrung her hands together. Jareth could tell she was in distress, so he offered her his arm and led her out from the ballroom. The festivities commenced as the pair left, and he brought her out to the dimly-lit garden. Jareth felt the distance the woman was attempting to put between them, and immediately let go, turning to face her with a mock-seriousness present on his features._

_"You should not be here, child."_

_"Yes, yes, I know, I am forever sor-"_

_"How in the world are you here without my knowledge?"_

_The girl swallowed hard and sighed, attempting to avert her gaze from the king's hard features. "A dark man came to my window, promising me a party I would never forget. Indeed, I had been wishing to attend one for some time, but my family, we are not the most prominent in society, and-"_

_"What was his name?"_

_The woman stopped and blushed deeply. "He said you would ask me that."_

_Jareth's eyebrows narrowed sharply, his eyes blazing in the darkness. The girl shuddered and turned away. "Please, my lord, you frighten me."_

_The Goblin King took a moment to relax his features, and began to lean in closer. "My apologies, love. But perhaps I could look at your neck?"_

_The girl's eyebrows furrowed. "He said you would want to do that, as well."_

_"May I?" Jareth lifted her brown curls away from her jugular vein, and sighed deeply. Two small marks were indented on her white flesh. "Indeed, my brother Zanaphelyus brought you to this place."_

_"You are going to send me away, aren't you?" the girl whimpered. "This was all I ever wanted… everything I could've asked for…" she stared into his eyes deeply, eyelashes fluttering._

_Jareth took a moment to look at her. She was not at all displeasing to behold, but her countenance held a childlike quality which he had not seen in many other human adults. Her eyes were bright, calculating, perceptive. Her face was round, her features small and delicate._

_"Might I ask you your name, love?"_

_"Rose, sir."_

_He smiled to himself. A pleasant name for a pleasant girl. But he tried not to lead her on._

_"Ah. I shall allow you to stay, then, Rose, as long as you stay on your best behavior…" Jareth winked. "And allow me to be your dance partner?"_

_The young woman blushed a shade that was fitting to her name. "As you wish, my lord."_

_The pair strolled back to the ballroom, all the while Jareth thinking of a way to confront his brother. He was not to bring humans to this world without his express permission. How had he done it? And why?_

* * *

"So? What happened? Why had Zanaphel taken her?" Sarah's eyebrow quirked.

Jareth grit his teeth. "I never found out. He's never disclosed the details since."

Sarah paused, and looked up at him. "Was she your second love, then?"

"In a way… not so much physically, at first. I was not ready for such a thing at the time. But her mind…" his eyes misted. "As the night continued on, I realized what a glorious mind the girl posessed. I had not expected such a thing from a girl so young. Rose was sharp, sarcastic, witty, and also demure and sweet. The girl was human magic, and when we did touch…" Jareth closed his eyes and smiled at the memory. "Skin like silk."

"How long did she stay?"

"A few weeks. Slowly, she warmed up to me. We only shared one kiss-" he bit his lip, sighing, and turned back to Sarah. "In any case, it only lasted that long… and then, Zanaphel took her again. I can only expect he bled her dry," Jareth's voice had cracked, but his face remained stone cold.

Sarah ground her teeth together, hands trembling. "How could he do that to you?"

Jareth's eyebrows raised. "The nymph hasn't a heart, child."

The girl's eyebrows drew together, and she leaned back in his throne, silently pondering his words. His first love had been serious, passionate, sexual. But his second love had been infinitely more balanced, platonic.

"Was there a third?"

"No… not in terms of love, anyway," Jareth stood taller, a muscle in his jaw rippling as it tensed. "Physical affection… lust… takes on a much different meaning here. The thing is much less risque than is considered in your world. Fae do not fight the attractions. We welcome them."

Sarah closed her eyes, pinching the bridge of her nose until it hurt.

Jareth swept to her side. "You do not like this information, I presume."

"No," she said simply, raising herself from the throne and taking a few steps away from him. "It makes your kind sound like… like… animals."

"If my kind were considered animals, your kind would be considered vermin, my dear." Jareth's eyes were darkening now.

"But… but what about… morals, virginity, purity…"

"Others may not appreciate it, love, but rest assured that I most certainly do… especially knowing that you come from a culture where losing one's innocence by age eighteen is considered almost necessary," he crossed the distance between them and laid a hand under her jaw.

Sarah bit her lip and looked up at him warily. "Are you telling the truth, Jareth?"

He quickly bore his teeth, eyes flickering with offense. "Why should I lie to you now, girl? What good would it do us?"

"None."

"Precisely." Jareth's hand dropped from her cheek, entangling itself in her tresses. "I cannot risk losing you now. There is far too much at stake... Zanaphel must be dealt with, once and for all. It seems that my previous efforts have done him no harm…"

"Can't we just talk with him?" Sarah's voice wavered impatiently.

The Goblin King sighed heavily, releasing his gloved hand from her hair. "Diplomacy… it may work. Very well."

The girl smiled encouragingly, the skin around her eyes crinkling. "Good. Now, I believe it is time for sleep… I can barely keep my eyes open."

But Jareth did not allow her to go. Instead, he wrapped her in his arms protectively, closely. He nestled his face into her hair, breathing in her scent; moving down to her ear, and kissing it gently.

"Her perfection doth not cease, her beauty eternal in fire," Jareth whispered.

Sarah did not fight her shivers this time, resting her head on his shoulder. "What is that from?"

"Me," he said, nipping her ear and smiling. "Let us retire now, pet."

"Good night, then…"

"No, no, Sarah. You are not leaving my side again."

The girl's face paled for a moment. "But-"

He held a gentle finger to her lips. "Trust me."


	27. Chapter 27: Peace of Mind

Chapter 27: Peace of Mind

_Soulful, sweet song by Bat For Lashes._

_The Queen of Water: Sweet :D_

* * *

The wind that blew through the walls was quite humid for nighttime; in the back of Sarah's mind, she figured this was in order to make her less liable to wear warm nightclothes. Already, she felt a drop of sweat drip down her back. Jareth was leading her up the stairs when she stopped him.

"May I… get my things? From my room?"

Jareth squinted for a moment at her, then smirked gently.

"You brought nothing with you."

"Except my nightgown," Sarah returned the smirk, sheepishly biting her lip.

"Very well," he sighed, shooing her to the teal door. Jareth put a hand on his hip impatiently. "Please don't take too much time fussing over yourself in the mirror… it won't matter for long."

Sarah quickly shot him a look and saw him stifle a laugh. She ran up the stairs and into the garden room, which had been restored to its normal, blooming appearance. Planting herself in front of the mirror, she removed the delicate beads and ribbons from her silky hair, placing them on the endtable and grabbing her hairbrush.

"_Sing me a song by the fireplace, Johnny, sing me to sleep as I'm wrapped in your arms_…" Sarah warbled a tune she'd known since she was young. A warm breeze swept through the room, tousling her gown and forcing her to inhale more deeply than usual. "_Love me tonight and again in the morning, sweep me away with your sincerest charms…_" She finished detangling her hair, placing the hairbrush on the table and quickly unlacing herself in the back. Sarah realized she felt strange watching herself in the mirror, almost indecent to the point of embarrassment. Her skin seemed to glow in the candelight, but her cheeks were bright red. As she pulled her arms through each of the sleeves, she clutched the front of the dress to her chest and did not let go. For a minute she stood there, staring into her own eyes. Sarah did not recognize herself as she once did. Much had changed within the past three days. How could this be? Of course, time did not truly exist in the Underground, which was something she had to continually remind herself of. But what if Jareth was lying? What if a lot more time had passed that she'd realized? But why should she still question his word, after all they had recently discussed?

Sarah rolled her eyes and allowed her gown to fall to the floor. This was no time for questions, or doubt, or anything else at all. She was about to spend an entire night sleeping in a king's bed, and she was barely prepared. Pulling her hair up and looking herself over, she sighed.

"When was the last time I showered?… Damn…"

* * *

Jareth waited impatiently outside her door, arms crossed, leaning against the doorframe. He would move as soon as she was done, but he wanted to hear her all the same. When Sarah began to sing, he smiled. Jareth pulled off a glove and ran long fingers through his cornsilk hair. He wondered if she would allow for a bit more intimacy this time, if she would not be as resistant. He tried to control his natural inclinations, for Jareth was fully aware that fae and humans had extremely differing views on matters of affection and lust… at least, the average ones did. But he also knew that he loved Sarah, despite everything he had wanted for himself, everything that the kingdom had wanted for him. Not that the Underground would reject a human Goblin Queen, but… it was still a somewhat rare occurrence. His mother, Evelyn, had been a special case- one of the gentlest creatures to grace the realm with her presence. It was no wonder his father had taken an immediate fancy to her...

He quickly sank into the shadows of the hallway when Sarah peeked her head out of the door.

"Jareth," she whispered.

"Yes?" the shadows answered.

"Is there… may I…bathe?"

There was silence for a moment. "Is that quite necessary?" Jareth's voice hinted at slight irritation.

"Yes," Sarah said firmly. "For a teenage human girl, it is."

The Goblin King lithely removed himself from the shadows, eyes glowing softly. He had in his hand a large, fluffy white towel and a light blue silken nightgown. Jareth held them out to her.

"Put on the towel. Marya shall show you to the bath. Take your time, if you must." He swept himself back into the shadows and disappeared. Sarah felt a shiver strike down her spine, and she wrapped herself into the towel just as the plump little goblin came down the hallway, carrying a small torch in her wrinkled hand.

"This way, dear girl."

Sarah left the doorway and followed Marya down the dark corridor. "This wasn't here before…"

"Of course it wasn't. His Highness is always puttin' in new rooms 'round this place. He's never content with the way things are. He always wants to change 'em."

"Indeed," Sarah made a mental note as the two approached a bright door. Marya swung it open and led her inside, immediately rushing to the clawfoot bathtub and turning the tap. Water flowed out of the spigot noiselessly.

"What's your favorite soap, dearie?" The goblin opened a cupboard filled with all sorts of various bath products. Sarah figured Jareth did not know what half of them were for.

"Um… Dove?"

Marya turned around, wearing a perplexed expression. "Gee, I'm afraid I haven't heard of that one… soap made from doves… How's about a nice lavender, then? Always a nice scent to settle you in for bedtime, yes?"

Sarah smiled. "Yes, thank you very much, ma'am."

Marya paused. "Anything for the future queen." She quickly picked up a scrub brush and wash cloth, placing them by the side of the tub. "Ring once you're finished, then."

The goblin hurried out of the bath room and shut the door. Sarah was left biting her lip, knees trembling beneath her. Future queen, she thought. Future queen.

The water shut off automatically, and Sarah stepped in, removing her towel and settling into the cool water. She allowed her fingertips to dance atop the water's surface, watching as the smallest of ripples formed beneath them. The warm air that flowed in through the nearest window made her shiver pleasantly. Sarah dipped her head under the water to wet her hair, taking the lavender soap bar in her hands and forming a thick lather. Multiple thoughts swarmed through her mind as the she ran the soap through her long tresses and into the water, one of them being that the scent of the soap was the purest of lavenders she had ever smelled.

A while later, the soap was much diminished in size, and Sarah was left rinsing herself off and stepping out of the tub, grabbing the towel and patting her hair with it. She glanced at the light blue nightgown laid out for her on a chair, smiling at the small blue bow at the middle of the neckline. It seemed harmless enough, even though the nightgown would only fall halfway to her knee. In a daze she pulled it over her head and let it fall over her body. It felt luxuriously soft, and she yawned, going to the door to ring the bell.

Instead, she jumped, when she opened the door and in Marya's place stood Jareth, shirtless, eyes intense. His lips were pursed. Sarah stared at him, frowning.

"Yes? I was just on my way up to you."

"Indeed?" His voice was huskier than it had been. Sarah blushed when she realized how tired he was as well.

"Sorry… I guess I really needed that," she sighed, closing the door behind her, leaving the both of them in low light. Somehow she was not surprised when he silently lifted her up in his arms and carried her to his room. She knew she would have protested had it been earlier in the evening, but nothing seemed to be phazing her now.

The next thing she knew, he placed her down on a large pile of pillows, kneeling in front of her. Sarah cracked her eyes open, squinting in the low light. Jareth's pendant reflected the hearthlight as it dangled from his neck.

"No… bed?" she whispered. He chuckled tiredly, leaning over and kissing her cheek.

"Try to sleep now, precious thing." Jareth twisted a small lock of hair around his finger and let it fall. Sarah inhaled deeply, his scent overwhelming her head.

"Good night," she said weakly, going out like a light. The fae placed a gentle hand on her shoulder as he lay down beside her, watching his future bride drift off into her own dreamland, which he personally vowed not to enter this time. It was too late, and she needed her sleep. And, somehow, Jareth himself was incredibly tired as well. The breeze continued to flow through the walls into the room, playing with the weak fire's flames. With a slight flick of his fingertips, the fire was snuffed, and the mighty Goblin King fell asleep to the contented, musical breathing of his champion.


	28. Chapter 28: Tighten Up

Chapter 28: Tighten Up

_The fun song by The Black Keys._

_Taria Robotnik: Glad you did! :)_

_The Queen of Water: Haha ok_

_Princess of the Fae: Thanks for all your input! Glad you like it dear!_

_livia696: Thank you love!_

_...corazon: Thanks! Input taken... they just happen to jump into the story in this chapter! ;)_

_Byoken: Aww! Here you go!_

* * *

The land of the Underground was still bathed in velvet night light when Hoggle charged his way down to the Caverns. He tripped a couple times over misplaced roots and branches precariously positioned in his way.

"Ludo! Didymus! Anyone!" he shouted. "The King's kidnapped Sarah! We must hurry!"

Ludo growled as he awoke from inside his cave, rubbing his large eyes with a furry palm. Sir Didymus jumped right out of a tree branch, wielding his sword furiously.

"I say, who goes there? Who causeth all this racket?"

Hoggle reached the entrance to Ludo's cave, breathing heavily. "It's me… Hoggle…"

"Ah, so it is, my fine fellow!" Didymus quickly put his sword back in its sheath and went to shake the dwarf's hand. "Welcome back to our place of residence-"

"Can't talk now, Didymus! The King's kidnapped Sarah!"

Ludo rushed out of the cave. "Sawah in trouble?"

"Yes!" Hoggle flailed his arms in exasperation. "We must gather up all the creatures in this vicinity and storm the castle! Sarah's life could be at stake!"

"My, my, what a strange turn of events! But I shouldn't like to see the young miss harmed in any such manner, after all she went through for the kingdom! Come now, Sir Ludo, and let us gather the finest army in the Underground! We shall recapture our beloved Champion and lead her to safety!" The two creatures bounded off down the hill and up past the glittering stream, Didymus singing a war chant he must have learned long ago as a young knight.

The dwarf waited until they were gone. In a flash, he transformed into a dark, slender form, red eyes glowing in the mist of dawn.

* * *

Sarah awoke with a start. The castle had jerked a bit, and a loud crunching sound reverberated through the walls.

"Jareth?" she croaked, her voice a bit hoarse. How long had she been asleep? But the king was nowhere in sight. Sarah stood up from the pile of cushions, wrapping the soft blanket around her goosepimpled skin and tiptoeing to the heavy wooden door. She grasped the handle and pulled it open, stepping out into the drafty hallway and making her way down a few flights of stone steps. The crunching noise continued, along with high-pitched squeals and shouts. Those must be the goblins, she thought. What on earth are they doing?

"Gotcha," a low voice announced, as he pulled her into his arms. Sarah yelped, but immediately relaxed. Jareth was incredibly warm.

"What's going on?"

"The goblins think I have kidnapped you, love," he chuckled. "I'm starting to think that wouldn't be such a bad idea."

Sarah peeked around the corner, back out into the hallway, towards where the sound grew louder. "What will you do?"

Jareth nuzzled her neck. "Nothing," he said simply.

"Nothing? But what if they make a mess of the castle? It's so early in the morning…" Sarah groaned.

"Let them have their fun. I shall reward them with Goblin Ale later."

"Fun? Reward? Wha-"

"Hush, you." Jareth placed a finger on her lips. "Now, what would you like for breakfast, hmm?"

Sarah cocked an eyebrow. "Well, for one, I wouldn't mind it being a bit quieter around here."

Jareth sighed. "Oh, all right, I will speak with them." He reluctantly released her from his arms. "Run along to the dining room, now. I shall be there in no time."

The girl did as she was told, though she was a bit peeved he was addressing her like a child. Ah, well. As long as he made those pesky goblins settle down, Sarah couldn't complain.

* * *

Jareth poofed his more formal clothing onto his figure and approached the large wooden door at the entrance of the castle. He quickly fluffed his hair and, with a snap of his fingers, the door completely disappeared. A whole gaggle of goblins rushed in, yelling and bouncing about the rafters, but stopping immediately when the king crossed his arms.

"What is the meaning of this, disturbing me and my future queen at such an abonimably early hour of the morning?"

Sir Didymus, that measly little rat who used to guard the bridge in the Bog of Eternal Stench, rushed forward with the gallumphing Ludo tagging along behind him.

"We have come to rescue the Champion, your highness!"

"Rescue? Is she in any danger?"

"Hoggle make noise this morning," Ludo sighed. "Hoggle say Sawah in danger."

"Hoggle?" Jareth formed a crystal in his gloved hand and peered into it. "The grumpy old dwarf is asleep in his kingdom, see? And he hasn't left since I put him there." He showed the knight and his companion the sphere.

"But, your highness, if Sir Hoggle has not left his kingdom, then who was it who awoke us this fine morning?"

Jareth immediately smashed the crystal to the ground and growled. Sir Didymus blinked, and the king was gone.

"Where… what?" he said, looking at Ludo. The creature shrugged and sighed.

* * *

_It's an abrupt ending- I apologize! But I wanted to get this up as soon as possible, since I've been working on it for almost three days and not making too much progress. Didn't want to keep you hanging! Expect the next chapter to appear within a week or so- I'm in the middle of helping out backstage with my school's musical, so that takes out a big chunk of time. But I love you all, and appreciate each one of your reviews, favorites, and follows! TTYS~_

_P.S: My poem Winterthorn needs some good critiquing, as much as I appreciate all the lovely compliments! 3 tnx_


	29. Chapter 29: Figure 8

Chapter 29: Figure 8

_Named for the amazingly intense, sexy song by Ellie Goulding. This is the one playing later in this chapter. If you want the full effect of the story, play this while reading ;)_

_Taria Robotnik: Thanks girl! I love your constant input :)_

_Byoken: Haha! Everything's amusing to him, it seems... and thanks! I was just props master, nothing big :D_

_Angelic Aramina: How kind of you to say! Thanks so much!_

_TheLegendOfFangirl: Sorry! Lol. Here you go!_

_ButterflyOnTheWall: Here you are, lovely!_

_Enjoy, everyone. Sorry for the long wait. :)_

* * *

As Jareth poofed into the dining room, he immediately recognized the lack of Sarah's presence. Grinding his teeth, he picked up a stray goblin by the scruff of his neck and growled.

"Where in hell is she, cretin?"

The poor goblin sputtered. "I-"

He was flying out the nearest window before the sentence could be finished. Jareth stalked the length of the floor to the head of the table, where the chair had been pulled out slightly. The dish in front of it held a mostly-full plate of food. The fork and knife, however, were at odd angles atop the table's surface. Jareth's gloved hands pulled themselves into fists, and the chair soon went crashing into the floor.

"THAT MOTHERFU-"

"Jareth?"

The Goblin King paused in his anger, eyes wide. Sarah had entered the dining room, wiping her hands on a dishtowel. Her eyes were now just as wide as his.

"Um." He quickly rearranged the chair back to its rightful place, and straightened the collar of his cape. "I did not know where you were."

"So you threw a tantrum instead of looking for me?" Sarah laughed nervously, placing the towel at the opposite end of the table and approaching him. "Was the goblin uprising all that horrendous?"

"They weren't uprising, they were simply misguided… by my brother, I believe."

The girl rolled her eyes and continued to approach him. "And I'm sure you quelled their misguidings with your royal dignity and charm?" Her smile widened, and she took his gloved hands in hers. Jareth returned the smile, secretly leering at Sarah's lack of warm apparel. Proof of her chill was present in _multiple_ places.

"Naturally," he bowed, and the couple resumed their places at the table. A red flash quickly pulsed through Sarah's eyes just as Jareth gazed out the window.

"I believe the day is shaping up to be a fine one, don't you?" The King mused casually as he crossed his arms.

Sarah blinked. "Indeed."

* * *

The air was heavy. She could smell sweat, and cheap body spray. Mostly a mix of Axe and Old Spice. Sarah wasn't sure if the floor she was standing on was tile or hardwood. Or maybe just concrete. Everything was incredibly hazy.

The multicolored disco lights weren't aiding in the visibility department. Nor was the large mirror ball strung from the high ceiling. The room felt both tight and deep, as if she was drowning in space and air.

The sound slowly faded into her consciousness. Light electronic noise swirled through her eardrums. There was a soft pounding, a hum she couldn't escape. Sarah felt herself for a minute, to see if she was really there. Laser lights shot off in random places around the room. Too much visual stimuli…

A pair of hands caressed her from behind. "Hey, babe," a hoarse tenor voice shouted into her ear.

"Ugh, get away from me, you creep!" She shouted back, and watched as the drunken bald man stumbled away from her, making his way through the gyrating crowd. Where was she? What was this place? Certainly not anywhere in the Underground…

"Sarah," a soft voice called to her over the rest of the noise. _Finally_, she sighed. In anticipation, she waited for Jareth to enter her visage and pull her from the crowd. Sarah continued to wait. A new song began to play over the speakers, and lyrics slowly wove their way into the steady electronic rhythm. The key the song was in played with the back of her mind. The song was new, yet she'd heard it already. Something about smoke entering lungs…

"Sarah, dance with me." The voice once again nipped at her ear. As the song bloomed into tension, a lithe figure approached her, clad in a red velvet shirt and black pants. His dark hair was just past his ears, curling around his defined, pale cheek bones. He was familiar, and yet-

The bass dropped.

She found herself crushed against this man, who smelled more tantalizing than any cheap body spray Sarah had tested at Wal-Mart. As the chorus swelled, the two began to grind, slowly, excitedly. She found herself smiling in pleasure, and the man smiled with her, teeth flashing as he laughed. She laughed, too. And it felt good.

_Jareth would never do a thing like this_, she thought to herself. _He's so much older, so much more… straightforward. But this… _Sarah entangled a hand into the man's silky hair. _This is young, reckless, exciting. Something I've always wanted to experience._

The verse played on, and the man's hands were loosely caressing her hips. The hem of the little black dress she was wearing was quickly creeping to her upper thighs, and he was gladly encouraging it. Sarah barely noticed, until she felt his warm hands grip under her thighs. Her heart lurched from within her chest. She had never been touched there before, not by a man, never. And that place was far too close to a place she knew was strictly off-limits to anyone…

Though part of her wanted to struggle, Sarah continued to dance. The man's eyes grew more intense, until they were almost black. He stared as if to bore into her brain, splitting any and all coherent thoughts she may have had to pieces. The chorus dropped again, and the grinding grew to a level not appropriate for young eyes. Sarah felt guilt slowly swell deep in her stomach. She felt ill. The man had turned her around, clutching her thighs to his. She looked out into the crowd, but there was no one left. It was only her and this stranger, someone she was allowing to play with her, like a lifeless doll. But how could she make it stop? It felt so new, and different, and _good_…

The song began to wind down. The man turned her back around. The impulse to scream quickly came and went. Zanaphel was studying her face as he let go of her hips. There was no hint of menace, nor of mirth. He was genuinely curious about her. He was intrigued.

"I have to go," Sarah mouthed to him.

The pale man nodded solemnly. "Remember me," he said.

Sarah's brows knit together as he faded away.

"Remember this."

* * *

Sarah blinked. "Indeed."


	30. Chapter 30: Face the Truth

Chapter 30: Face the Truth

_Named for a song by UnSun._

_Taria Robotnik: Haha. Glad you liked it! Though the man himself would be quite embarrassed..._

_BW4eva: Wow, thank you so much, dear! _

_ButterflyOnTheWall: Very glad you asked... since I will not be explaining it in the story, I will explain it here._

_ Since Jareth and Zanaphel share numerous powers, Zanaphel is also able to reorder time... but incredibly rarely. He had to wait for a long time, building his strength before he could perform the task. He had temporarily transported Sarah to a dream, similar to the one Jareth had placed her under in the movie. This time, the dream wasn't so pretty. He was hoping to distract her in the same manner his brother had before, but in a more direct way. And his plan, at least somewhat,worked. Judge for yourself..._

_Here is the new chapter, number thirty. I can't believe this story is almost at 100 followers... you guys are seriously amazing. I'm currently sending you all virtual hugs! Enjoy :)_

* * *

"Attention, good citizens of the Labyrinth!" Sir Didymus shouted above the clang and clatter of happy-go-lucky goblin voices. They quickly quieted down. "We have been informed by our dutiful Highness that our Champion is in no peril or danger whatsoever. And, for that, I proclaim we hold a celebration!"

The crowd cheered and got to work on sweeping the throne room, dusting cobwebbed corners, and breaking out the Goblin Ale. Two obese goblins brought out a large empty barrel and filled it with Grease Candy, a favorite amongst all Labyrinth-dwellers. The black chickens escaped the frenzy by flying up into the rafters, squawking and squealing nervously. Ludo and Didymus oversaw the preparations with attentive eyes. A few of the younger goblins broke out into song as the ale was drunk, proclaiming the bravery and cunning of Sarah Williams, the greatest Champion of them all.

No one noticed a few beady pairs of red eyes peeking out from the shadows on the ceiling.

* * *

Jareth slung a leg over the side of his dining chair and sighed, sipping Felthardin and watching Sarah out of the corner of his eye. She had barely touched her food since he had come in the room. He paused for a moment, and pushed his goblet towards her.

"Something is the matter," he stated.

Sarah eyed the cup, but quickly looked into her lap, twisting her hands.

Jareth pinched the bridge of his nose and growled inwardly. "Will we never have a period of normalcy together, precious?"

The girl bit her lip and looked at him. "I'm simply tired, that's all. Sorry!" Forcing herself to brighten up, she took her fork and ate a bit of watermelon.

The King wasn't satisfied, not at all. But he didn't feel like pushing the matter further. They had more important things to look forward to today.

"I feel like visiting the outskirts of the Labyrinth today. Would you care to join me?"

"Of course!" Sarah grinned, putting effort into eating and drinking normally. In the back of her mind, everything was still buzzing. The undersides of her thighs felt exposed. How had Zanaphel abducted her like that?

And why had she felt attracted to him?

"Although…" Jareth eyed her flatly. "I wonder if a bit more rest is in order…thanks to your late-night bath excursion."

Sarah pursed her lips. "I had been under the impression we were going to be-" she cleared her throat. "I just felt less clean than usual. I'm sorry that interfered with your plans, whatever they were. Though, to be fair, you could have reordered time," the girl pointed out.

The King rolled his eyes. "As much as I do love messing around with the human concepts of time, I know I am treading on thin ice with you. If you had somehow found out about my trick, you would have left me for sure."

Sarah said nothing. In a way, he was right. But she knew she was far past the point of leaving him now.

"The ice is thicker than it may seem, Goblin King," the girl smiled. "But that doesn't mean you still shouldn't watch your footing."

Jareth breathed a sigh of relief. "You are too kind." He looked directly into her eyes. Deep inside himself, the man longed to swim in those bright pools of green, bask in her sweet purity, wind himself in her dark tresses and never resurface. The few times they had been close to each other had been his calmest since… why, Jareth couldn't even remember. And her mind, what a lovely dreamer. Though he'd always had a penchant for perversions, Sarah's innocent imagination was always refreshing to experience.

She was blushing now, thick eyelashes fluttering under her dark brows. Jareth knew he should look away, but he didn't want to. He'd fought too hard for this.

* * *

"The greatest, bravest, kindest, truest, most nauseous girl there ever was!" The horde of half-drunk goblins sung cheerfully, swaying on each other's shoulders and raising their pints in the air. Sir Didymus growled in frustration.

"No, no, no! It's not 'nauseous', it's… oh, nevermind!"

Just as Ludo patted the back of the fuming little knight, three dark shadows plummeted down from the rafters, landing on the stone floor without a sound. The goblins hardly noticed.

"I say, who doth encroach upon our private party? Reveal your identities at once!" Didymus demanded.

The three figures bowed politely, removing their black hoods and clasping their hands together.

"Our apologies, Sir Didymus. We be but three humble Smog-goblins, come to celebrate the return of our Champion. Please allow us to participate in the revelry as well!"

The fluffy knight sighed, but nodded his head. "Very well. You may join our party. But mark me, good creatures, if any of you cause the least bit of trouble, you will have to deal with me and Sir Ludo here!"

The three goblins inclined their heads in recognition, and made their way to the barrels of ale and candy. The knight turned to his trusted friend and harrumphed in satisfaction.

* * *

Sarah watched as the sunlight quickly faded to a burnt orange hue through the window shafts as she was carried up the stone steps by her King. Gently-sparkling stars dotted the height of the sky. She looked up at Jareth in confusion.

"But I thought it was morning?"

Jareth looked straight ahead in careful focus. "Only if I wish it to be so. And, at this moment, I do not."

"What about traveling to the outskirts of the Labyrinth? We certainly can't stay in bed all day."

"Can't we?" A large smirk cracked onto his face.

Sarah laughed lightly, but her insides were trembling. She hoped he wouldn't notice. And yet, Zanaphel promised her he would grant the two some time to get to know each other, and figure out where they stood. And if anything bad should happen, he would take care of it for her… but why should she trust him? There was absolutely no basis for any amount of trust to be granted this thing, this Zanaphelyus. And yet…

Jareth brought her into his chamber once again, this time walking past the mound of pillows on the floor, and instead placing her onto his large bed. A sweet scent of musk hit Sarah's nose, and she buried herself into the blankets.

"Mmmh," she sighed. Jareth leaned against a bedpost, staring at her haughtily. He quirked an eyebrow, a smirk still ever-present on his lips. Sarah opened an eye and laughed. "I must admit, your bed is quite comfortable." Jareth bit his lip before he could utter a cheeky reply. A small ache in the pit of her stomach made Sarah close her eyes again and settle under the covers in the fetal position. Everything was still twitching. The Goblin King's eyebrows drew together as he frowned, removing his outer shell of attire and lowering himself onto the bed beside her. He noticed the muscle in her jaw tighten as he twisted a strand of ebony hair.

"I was going to ignore it before, but now I insist you tell me what the matter is." He propped himself up on his arm to study her face. For a moment, she avoided his gaze, but eventually Sarah turned her head and locked nervous eyes with his.

"I'm not used to this… that's all. This kind of attention. Of course, I've always wanted it… yearned for it," her voice wavered. "But now, everything's been coming so quickly… your affections… things…" Sarah's brows knit together as she searched for the proper words. Jareth shook his head.

"I understand," he sighed, rolling onto his back, crossing strong arms over his torso tightly as if to hold himself together. "You are still quite young… I should remember that more often. Looks most certainly can be deceiving." Jareth scanned her face out of the corner of his eye.

Sarah's cheeks bloomed bright red. "But… like I said… I do want it. More than anything."

"I wonder…" Jareth paused, choosing his words with care. "I wonder if you should go back, for a time."

"Go back?!" The girl immediately sat up and glared at the man in alarm. "To the Aboveground? To my home?"

The Goblin King closed his eyes, muscles working in his cheeks. "For a time."

Sarah's insides immediately flooded with fear. Tears found their way to her eyes. "But… no… why?…"

"Sarah," Jareth took her in his arms warmly, stroking her hair and kissing her cheek. "You know I want you to stay, more than anything else I could ever do, or say, or force to come to pass. But you need some time to… decide. To learn about yourself. To find yourself in your world, and compare it to mine."

"Nothing could ever compare to this place," the girl sobbed. "Or to you!"

"Hush, now. As much as your words flatter me to no end, you must leave. You know it to be true, Sarah. You have yet to reach the age of maturity in your world. Who knows, you might just prefer it to who you are now," Jareth held her shoulders firmly, forcing her to look at him, to acknowledge and accept his serious words. "Please… you don't know how it pains me to advise this for you. But… I want you. All of you. And you want me…or so it seems."

"I do!" Sarah's voice heightened its pitch. "You don't know how many nights I've dreamt of this place, yearned for it, longed to be a part of it again! And you… I never could figure out my feelings for you, but now…"

Jareth placed a finger on her lips. "Only tell me when you truly know. Will you do that for me? Please?"

"But I do know, Jareth! I've told you already, I-"

"My brother," The Goblin King grit his teeth. "I know now... how he has been toying with your underdeveloped sensitivities-" he swallowed hard. "In more ways than you know. I can sense his presence around you. He's closing in on you, Sarah. However, if you left for a time… once I am rid of him, I will come and get you. In your world. And since I can reorder time…" The fae's lips pressed against a strand of her hair, forcing a tiny smile to twitch at the corners. "That shouldn't be long at all."

The girl looked at him through her tears. His eyes were so tender and kind, now… almost as if they were human. He made everything seem so much more… simple when he touched her. She took a moment and closed her eyes. What Jareth said made sense, no matter which way she looked at it. Before she made the commitment, Sarah would have to see how life would be like for her in the human world. This lovely thing, this man, couldn't make all her problems go away with a snap of his gloved, glittering fingers. She had to face the truth on her own… no matter how much it would scare her.

"All right," she cupped his cheek with a trembling hand. "I will."

Jareth took her hand in his and kissed it sweetly. "I will visit you, on occasion. You won't be able to see me, of course… unless you know where to look."

"Your owl form," Sarah grinned. "Incredibly hard to miss during the daytime."

"Oh, hush, you pretty thing," the Goblin King smirked wildly, taking her in his arms and kissing her neck as she laughed.

The sun reversed itself and rose back to its correct place in the sky- casting both light and shadow on everything in the Underground. The creatures came back out to work and play. Water gleamed and glittered in the strong rays. Many a goblin in the lower part of the castle continued to drink their weight in ale, while the two creatures in the upper part fell asleep in peace, wrapped in each other's arms.

* * *

_Now, now... don't freak out, my lovelies. If you have any questions, please ask. I realize it may have been confusing, or whatever... I hope to put up the chapter within the week, but if not, I apologize... finals are coming up quickly, and December's just a hectic month in general. Hope you all have lovely weeks! Lots of love :)_


	31. Epilogue: Part One

Epilogue: Part One

_Taria Robotnik: Indeed :)_

_midns: You don't know how much your review made me smile! Thanks so much!_

_pyewacket-moonlite: You are far too kind, my dear! I shall certainly try my best! :D_

_Hello lovely readers. Yes, this one's coming to an end. If it seems abrupt, not to worry. I will be starting on the sequel straightaway. If you'd like to get a sneak-peek, please take a glance at my poem Winterthorn. I will be using that title as my sequel name, so if you'd like to subscribe to it now, you most certainly may!_

_This chapter's slightly violent._

* * *

Zanaphel stared blankly out of the cavernous window in his bedchamber. Three gorgeous female forms were draped in various poses of torment around the room, silently undergoing the last few hours of their transformations. They would make decent additions to his dwindling harem, having killed many of the females off out of pure rage or spite; but, unfortunately, none of them possessed the particular magnetism which Sarah Williams currently held. She was bright, sensitive, and full of expression. Her newly-discovered passions were enticing. During their dance, her blood had pounded with a rhythmic force Zanaphel had never heard before- like her body was calling out for an answer to everything she was, something to complete and compliment each and every pulsation. Sarah had been mouth-watering, and it had taken everything in him not to sink his teeth into her neck.

But now, even after everything, Zanaphel began to realize how she would never be his. Jareth would always win her back, and would keep winning her back until they were finally rid of him and could be married, living happily ever after in their own fairy-tale world. Everything in him told him to keep fighting for her, to keep antagonizing his brother and to keep making things all the more complicated- maybe even stealing pretty Sarah away for a time, just to add drama to the tale. But no. No wars, no kidnappings, nothing would make her his. She was too strong for him- her magic was growing by the day, the aura inside her was thickening, and her mind was clearing. There was no point in fighting for her any longer. He had to give her up.

Zanaphel would never forget the feel of Sarah against him, though. The heightened sparkle in her eyes when his hands had traveled up her hips. The laughter he could hear emanating from her throat despite the appallingly loud human music muffling out any other moan or sigh she had given. The hungry need in the way she had been dancing- so new, so strange, so different for her. The way humans were sexually awakened had always stirred him in some way. How they so slowly-yet-so-quickly unravelled into their deepest reveries, releasing everything over to their animal instincts, giving no second thought to morals or responsibilities. Sarah had, however, remembered her place. Her hips had stilled, and droplets of fear had poured out through her skin. Dear child. Dear, sweet, young child.

The dark, thin man turned from the window and glared at all three women, suddenly repulsed by their unconscious presences. His clawed hands curled into tight fists, creating deep indents in his ashen palms.

"Elena, my love, you were never more than a friend. Please rest in your black-tinged sorrows." He snapped the woman's neck and pulled off her head, releasing a fountain of black blood onto the wooden floor.

He moved to the second woman, tight blonde curls framing her face in a childlike manner. Her petite frame had always tugged at Zanaphel's heartstrings.

"Kassie, you shall always remain an angel. Return to your brightest of skies." Snap.

The nymph sighed and turned to face the third female, her hand lifting to her head and moaning. Her eyes flickered open and up to him.

"What-"

"Hush, my cherub sweetheart. We will meet again in the Fiery Furnace."

The woman screamed as he wrapped his hands around her head.

Snap.

Black liquid pooled at Zanaphel's feet. He stared for a moment at his reflection. It glimmered in the sunlight's rays. This was probably the closest he would appear to being Fae, he thought sullenly.

* * *

Jareth awoke with a start, bleak visions swirling about in his eyes. Something had been taken from him. He felt it deep inside, like a chunk of his flesh had been ripped away. It certainly was not Sarah, for she was still asleep on his bed, a contented smile present on her rosebud lips. What was it then?

The orange sun was making its way through the sky, and Jareth inspected it indirectly through the open window. Birds whistled as they flew above the castle, one to another, lover to its mate. The King put a trembling hand to his chest, feeling the physical ache, attempting to locate it. His head throbbed. He stood up and walked out onto the terrace, sighing as the warmth of his kingdom wrapped around his taut body and embraced him lovingly. Jareth focused on the horizon, attempting to see past the Goblin City and the Labyrinth itself. Something had happened. Creatures were weeping. A wisp of darkness was seeping through the air, from the outskirts of his kingdom. He cautiously sent mental signals out to his brother, to see if he knew what the matter was.

Nothing.

There was absolutely nothing.

A crash came over Jareth, a pounding dizziness that about knocked him to the floor of the terrace. He knew why a part of him felt missing.

Zanaphel was dead.

The Goblin King covered his face with his hand, the other attempting to balance him by gripping the rail. No. This wasn't how this was supposed to happen. Blood Nymphs didn't rally against each other. No one else could have killed him.

Except himself. Jareth knew his brother had committed suicide. A most unexpected move, but then again, Zanaphel had always liked surprising people. He must have killed others as well, ones that had been at the beginning of their lives as nymphs. The scent in the air grew stronger as it floated towards the Labyrinth. The burning scent of decay.

Jareth apparated himself to the edge of the Royal Grounds, the seashore where he and his brother had once stood to see their parents off on their journey. The lavender grasses bloomed in thick patches beneath his feet. He removed his boots and his shirt, quietly lowering himself onto the ground and leaning back on his arms. Jareth allowed his mind to wander about on the open expanse of ocean, his chest rising and falling as he sucked in the fresh sea air. The King had always felt calmest here, watching one of the few things he held absolutely no power over.

So, he and Sarah were completely free to be married, now. If she so wished it. Their happiness came at a high cost. Jareth had always hoped he and his brother could have remained on civil terms, somehow. But Fate simply didn't seem to work that way. Zanaphel was gone.

Jareth picked a tiny red flower from amongst the grasses, inspecting it, holding it up to its lips and kissing it.

"_Kaerlig na omarg ti laseille, ta Omartharae,_" he whispered. The King rose to his feet and leaned over the edge, dropping the flower into the water, and watched as it floated gently on the glittering surface.

"Rest in peace eternally, dear Brother."

* * *

_Part Two will be on its way soon. Thank you all again for the love and support._


	32. Epilogue: Part Two

Epilogue: Part Two

_midns: You are most welcome, my dear :)_

_sheniyag: Yes. I apologize for the anti-climax. Zanaphel was planning a huge battle, one that would scatter goblins far and wide, and leave Jareth and Sarah at his own mercy. But, alas, he knew his time was up._

_pyewacket: Thank you so much for your kind words. I wish it could be, too :P_

_Guest: Glad it was a surprise for you! Haha! Thank you! Here you go!_

_zombie guts: Indeed. Here you are :)_

_BurningThoughts: Thank you love!_

_-Hello my lovely readers. The time has come for me to close this little fic and start another one. I have enjoyed working with this one thoroughly, reading all your input and exploring all the many possibilities that arise when working in this particular fandom genre. Having never worked on a fanfic before, I had absolutely no idea what to expect. I was basically writing and editing this all by my lonesome! But thank you all a thousand times over for your overwhelming love and support._

_The sequel to this fic, as I've stated previously, is titled _**Winterthorn_._**_ It was originally to act as a one-shot of mine, but it fit with what I was to end with here. The poem/prologue itself is up and ready to be subscribed to! I have rated it as M just as a precautionary measure. Don't expect too much smut, for I am not that kind of writer... yet. ;) So, please, if you wish to continue following this story, please go and follow!_

_So, this is the last chapter. Quite long. I tried to wrap things up as best as possible. I apologize if it seems a bit rushed, I just wanted to get it to you all as soon as I could. Thank you, again. Just today I hit the 100 follower mark. I am amazed and content. Love you all so so much. Please take care, and enjoy the last chapter._

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It was late in the day. Sarah had slept in Jareth's bed for hours. When she awoke, the sky was a fetching shade of purple, content in its hue as it painted itself dry across the horizon. The girl lifted herself up onto a pillow and stretched, yawning and sighing in gracious laziness. Jareth was nowhere to be found, yet again. Sarah adjusted her nightgown and left the bed, tiptoeing out onto the terrace to glance around. She shivered when her feet touched the chilly stone surface.

"Come out, come out, wherever you are," she whispered, allowing the soft breeze to caress her hair and weave itself through. In the blink of an eye, a snowy barn owl came soaring through the sky and landed on the rail in front of her. Its dark eyes stared at her curiously. Sarah tilted her head and approached it.

"You're much less frightening like this, you know." She rubbed the side of its head, and it nuzzled itself into her hand. Sarah giggled. The owl cooed and fluffed up its feathers happily. "I truly wish I didn't have to leave."

_But you must_, the owl said. _You will see why soon enough_.

"But you will come back for me?" Sarah said.

_Curse me if I don't_, the owl replied, its eyes growing black.

The girl quickly pulled her hand away. "Fine, okay, I believe you, then."

The bird shifted into a feathery man, his hair tousled and his eyes deep and glowing. Jareth stayed sitting on the rail as he reached out a hand and returned Sarah's caress. She blushed deeply, and held his hand to her cheek.

"My precious, sweet girl. Do not fear the future. All of it is there, waiting for you to jump in, to explore, to live. You will be fine."

The girl swallowed a lump that had risen in her throat. "And Zanaphel? What of him? What if he comes to find me, what if he takes me away from you?"

Jareth withdrew his hand and held it to his chest, playing with his pendant. "Sarah…" He sighed heavily. "My brother is dead."

"What?" Sarah's brows creased, ruby lips parted and trembling. "But he… I was just… he…"

"Sometimes a nymph's Fae senses can bring him to justice, without the hand of another inflicting the mortal wound," the King muttered.

"Suicide?"

"Indeed."

"…May I ask how?"

Jareth sighed again and left the rail, facing Sarah, his strong stance deceptive as his insides were numb from the sight he had beheld, inside Zanaphel's crumbling castle.

"It seems… he destroyed three of his new concubines before they had finished turning. I smelled the newness of the blood from them…" he swallowed quickly. "And my brother had driven a silver stake through his chest. The entire floor was covered in… black."

Sarah trembled and fell into Jareth's feathery arms.

"I'm so very sorry for your loss… despite everything."

"Thank you, love. Maybe his soul will find peace, somewhere."

"Maybe," Sarah inhaled, sneezing. "I think I'm allergic to you."

She felt Jareth suppress a bit of laughter, and held her closer for a moment. "You do realize what this means."

"That I don't have to leave anymore?" Sarah looked up into his eyes, finding apprehension there.

"Not exactly, my dear. I still want you to leave for a while. I want you to be able to experience more of your human life before you come back with me, and become-" the King cleared his throat and stood to the side.

Sarah laughed and followed him, taking the sides of his perfect face into her hands tenderly. "Become your Queen?"

Jareth only stared back at her, his eyes seeing something she obviously could not. "If that is your wish, as well."

"Of course it is, Jareth. Why wouldn't it be?" she continued to smile for him.

He paused, as if to go into detail about something, but visibly held back. "I must return you to your world soon, Sarah."

The girl faltered and wrung her hands together nervously. "All right… fine. May I say good-bye to my friends first?"

This made him smile. "Of course you may. In fact, I believe they are all gathered in the throne room, wreaking drunken havoc upon god knows what…"

* * *

After the throne room had been sufficiently tidied up, and the goblins decently put into order by Sir Didymus and Ludo, Sarah went down the line to say farewell to each one of them. She could not see Jareth standing in the corner, watching her from the shadows. The way she took time to ask each creature their name and a bit about their lives was touching. She would obviously make up for the things he lacked as a ruler, he thought. When he was cruel, she would be kind. When he was demanding, she would be benevolent. Jareth could only hope everything would still work out, for it was incredibly dangerous to release Sarah back out into the human world after spending so much time in the Underground. He was, however, confident that she would remember the important details of her time spent there…

"And you, Sir Didymus. Thank you for everything, again!" Sarah kissed the little knight on his feathered cap.

"Anything for the Champion and future Queen, my lady!" He brandished his sword and bowed humbly.

"Goodbye, Ludo! Please take care!" Sarah hugged the gentle yeti as he wished her well.

A dwarf burst through the double doors, huffing and puffing, mumbling curses.

"Hoggle!" The girl rushed over to him and gave him the biggest hug she could offer. The dwarf sputtered and sighed.

"This again? I thought we were done with this!" he complained.

"I will miss you terribly while I'm gone. Please take care of yourself, and thanks for helping me through the Labyrinth again, even though it was all a trick…" Sarah turned around and shot Jareth a look. The King smirked devilishly, shrugging.

"I do what I must to capture my prizes," he hissed from the shadows.

"Anytime, Sarah. Sheesh." The dwarf threw up his hands and stood with the goblins.

"Well, I think that's everyone, Your Majesty!" the girl said as she walked to the glittering gentleman. "I guess it's time to leave."

Never straying from eye contact, the Goblin King strode towards her and wrapped his cloak around her body. Almost in an instant, he released her, and Sarah was back in her dusty bedroom, clad in her frilly nightgown and standing in front of her window. Jareth was wearing the menacing black outfit he wore the first time she laid eyes on him, appearing as terrifyingly beautiful as ever.

Jareth watched as she watched him. They continued to stare at each other for a long moment. The King occasionally noticed how the moonlight went completely through Sarah's nightgown. He found her resplendent, beautiful, irresistible… and still incredibly young.

"My time draws near, precious thing. Before then, however, I have something to give you."

Sarah's heart leapt as a small crystal bubble left Jareth's gloved hand and floated into hers. It popped and revealed an intricate ring of silver, decorated with carvings and markings Sarah couldn't quite make out.

"What does it say, Your Majesty?"

Jareth crossed the space between them and slipped the pretty ring on her finger. "_Algargh na Moag fer ta Realthenien, maeg Coleh Ireh_." He lowered his lips and placed them over the ring, kissing it and her white, cold hand. "Betrothed to the Goblin King, to be his Queen. But you are mine, and I am yours, if you still wish it, my lady," the man bowed low towards her in a grand swooping motion with his arms. "I offer my entirety to you."

Sarah trembled in the moonlight. The ring glowed blue, as if to wait for her magic words. She bit her tongue, inhaling and exhaling with equally faltering breaths. This great and proud king was giving himself over to her, a flighty girl one hour short of turning eighteen years young.

His beauty, however, was astounding. His mind was deep, dark, mysterious. His passion seemed unbridled and his heart seemed unaffected. And the man was no man at all. He was a magical creature with practically unlimited powers, and he desired her to be his bride. How could she refuse, silly girl?

"I accept, sir," she replied, sinking low to the floor and holding her gown out to each side.

Sarah watched the floor as Jareth's shadow hesitated, shifted, and completely covered the floor in front of her until she saw his boots under her gaze.

"Rise," he whispered. Sarah glanced at her ring. It had stopped glowing. The Fae took her hands in his and held them warmly. His eyes were a mix of far too many emotions to decipher. The girl licked her lips and waited.

"Sarah… my own, my Sarah…" his voice quivered, and he pulled her in, embracing her passionately. Sarah rested her head on his shoulder and kissed his cheek. His emotion tinged the air with a forlornness she couldn't place.

"Please come back soon, Jareth. Don't leave me here for too long. I'm still scared, I don't know what to do, what I will do, I-"

"Hush." The man forced her to face him. "Never you fear anything from this world, do you understand me? Everything, here, is a facade, created to trap you, to drag you down into the depths, to cheapen you and take everything you have with it. You cannot allow yourself to live in this way. You are a precious gem, a beautiful young woman, a strong spirit, and you will conquer this world. Don't ever allow it to conquer you," his hands gripped her shoulders tightly, then looked away as if he'd said too much.

"You care," Sarah whispered.

"Curse you, girl. Of course I care. What else must I do to show you that? What else must I prove?"

She simply looked at him, purposefully parting her lips and breathing lightly, arching her back, leaning in.

The man quirked an eyebrow. "What on earth are you doing?"

"W-waiting for a kiss?"

His face immediately softened with amusement as he pulled her in. "You needn't wait."

* * *

Sarah registered a softness on her lips, a vulnerability, delicately wet and smooth. She tasted something like fruit, wine, spice, and ashes all melded together into flesh form. It was sweet, intoxicating, and addictive. Everything was dark, slow, and warm.

"I love you" and "Wait for me" is what she heard, echoed through her mind for eternities.

And then, it was gone.

"Happy birfday, Sarsar!" A pitter-pat of footsteps came clamoring onto her floor. Soon something was tugging at her bedsheets. Sarah moaned and rolled over, covering her head with her pillow.

"Go away, Toby. I'm still sleepy."

"Mommy has breakfast for you! Yummy, pancakeys…" and the footsteps left as soon as they came.

"Happy birthday, Sarah! You're officially an adult! Oh, come on! Get up, sleepy-head!" Karen gently nudged Sarah into a sitting position and presented her with a tray bright with fruit, flowers, confetti, and chocolate-chip pancakes.

"Wow… thanks, Karen! I wasn't expecting this…" Sarah rubbed her eyes and looked at her stepmother in surprise.

"It was the least I could do. Eighteen certainly is a special age. Eat up, and don't be late for school. Come on, Toby!" The blonde woman scooped her son up in her arms and closed Sarah's bedroom door.

As soon as she started digging in, she noticed a shiny ring on her finger. A rush of emotions came over her… but from what?

_Tap-tap. Tap-tap._

Sarah turned her head to look out the window, just as a white barn owl flew away.

_Jareth_, she thought. _Thank you._

_The dawn is here, my Queen,_ he replied. _Arise and meet it._

The End

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Thank you, beautiful followers. Now, onto **Winterthorn**!


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